SAFA studies Morocco, Egypt and Côte D'Ivoire to modernise its football business

This was revealed to SABC Sport by the SAFA finance committee chairperson, Mxolisi Sibam, following the conclusion of the national executive committee meeting in Sandton last night. 

SAFA, which has found itself in dire financial straits due to limited revenue streams, is revising its fundraising strategies. Sbam explains the plan they are undertaking.

"Today, we presented the last minute we had but the key thing that we had to come with was to present a turnaround strategy that has been three months in the making for the finance committee to present to the NEC,” said Sibam. 

“It's a matter of us trying to reset and make sure we repurpose and we reset SAFA so that it can be a modern association that can follow the trends of the world and look at the other practices of the FA's in the world that are also successful. 

“Also look at our competitors in Africa, the top ten countries in Africa to make because at the end of the day whatever we do, we're competing with the top 10 countries in Africa. “We must also make sure we modernise how we do business, how we raise revenue, how we control our expenditure and how we relate to our stakeholder like our sponsors, our members and also SASCOC and government to make sure that we are properly purposed, we are ready, so we can compete with the rest of the world, so that's what we were presenting today."

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Morocco and Egypt are two of the top football associations on the continent, both on and off the field, with sound administrative, commercial, and technical operations. 

The Ivorians also have a solid technical structure, which has enabled them to be the reigning champions in the men’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Sbam, who is leading the SAFA turnaround strategy, says their counterparts operate on better funding models from their countries.

"The key thing, if you want to look at how you deal with your technical issues and your development, Morocco is the key one to look at. How you relate with your players, Egypt is a very good example and also Côte D'Ivoire is a very good one to look at,” he added.

“So, what we're trying to do, we have to look at these FA's around Africa because the key ones it's Morocco, Côte D'Ivoire, Senegal and Egypt. So, you look at those because those are the main competitors, so you have to make sure all the time you match whatever they can do and also make sure that you do better. 

“We don't have the advantage that Moroccans have, where I don't wanna say they have unlimited funding but they are funded substantially by their government."