Souleiman Hassan Waberi, the long-time president of the Djibouti Football Federation (FDF) and a FIFA Council member, has been removed from office. His ousting occurred after a club-led vote took place at the federation's national technical centre and headquarters, which had been occupied by police since the previous evening. According to reports, officers entered the premises without presenting an administrative document or court order and escorted around 16 club presidents into the building to hold an extraordinary general assembly.
The extraordinary general assembly, attended by observers from the State Secretariat for Sports and overseen by legal officials, resulted in Waberi and the entire executive committee being unanimously voted out of office. An interim committee was established to manage the federation during the transition and prepare for new elections. However, the FDF has rejected the assembly as illegitimate, citing that the required notice periods and procedures under its statutes and electoral code were not followed.
The move to oust Waberi had been building for weeks, with a coalition of 27 clubs formally requesting an extraordinary general assembly to vote on removing the executive committee in early September 2026. The clubs claimed governance failures, including lack of financial transparency, failure to publish mandatory audit reports, and inequitable treatment. Waberi had led the FDF since 2012 and also sits on the CAF executive committee and the FIFA Council, having been elected to the latter in 2025 as the first representative from East Africa.
Waberi and other officials also face potential charges following a police investigation into suspected embezzlement and money laundering. They were arrested in September 2024 after a government inspection identified financial and administrative irregularities. FIFA- and CAF-funded infrastructure projects in Djibouti have drawn criticism for incomplete work and procedural issues with tenders. Waberi has consistently denied wrongdoing, stating that FIFA's monitoring mechanisms found no indication of problems with funds disbursed by the world governing body.
The FDF has appealed to FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), warning that the use of state security forces to remove elected officials could constitute prohibited government interference. Possible consequences include suspension of Djiboutian teams and clubs from international competitions, exclusion from events, and a freeze on development funding. Supporters of the vote maintained that the statutory number of delegates was present and that the process was valid.
An interim committee is now overseeing the federation and preparing elections in accordance with the statutes. No definitive timetable for choosing a successor has been announced. Djibouti's men's national team remains one of the lowest-ranked sides in the FIFA rankings. The country's presidency has been monitoring the situation due to potential damage to the country's international image, and FIFA has been informed.
The situation highlights the challenges faced by football governing bodies in balancing internal governance with external pressures. The removal of Waberi and the establishment of an interim committee aim to address concerns and restore stability to the federation. Key points include:
Key points
- Souleiman Waberi was removed from office as president of the Djibouti Football Federation.
- The ousting followed allegations of governance failures and financial irregularities.
- An interim committee has been established to manage the federation during the transition.
