JOHANNESBURG - Fifa's desperate need for change in February last year was in a bid to restore reputational damage, but a new CAF president could be elected on Thursday to show that Africa, too, has leaders that can take the federation forward.
Issa Hayatou, the incumbent, who has been in power since 1988, is seeking an eighth four-year term and that has upset several member associations, some of whom have already pledged their support to Ahmad Ahmad, a man they feel is an ideal successor.
Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, has been picked as the location for what could be a milestone for CAF, where new executive members will also be voted in.
Here’s a brief look at the two men vying for the presidency - what new ideas Ahmad could bring as well as what Hayatou still has to give, if anything, after a 30-year reign.
Issa Hayatou
The Cameroonian had previously said he would move on when he was voted in for his seventh term in office after he was re-elected unopposed in 2013.
But a sudden change in the Caf statutes two years ago, with all 54 countries voting to remove the age limit at a congress held in Egypt, presented Hayatou with an opening to try and hold onto power. No official was allowed to serve past the age of 70 until the rule change.
It is not a foregone conclusion that he will lose the election; the veteran administrator still enjoys some support in other African countries, although he’s had to work a lot harder this time around in canvassing votes prior to his trip to Addis Ababa.
He is revered for his administration’s success in increasing the number of teams in the Africa Cup of Nations from eight to 16, advocating to have five slots at the World Cup as well as bringing in major sponsorship deals from Orange and most recently Total.
He’s not likely to change much if re-elected and will continue to attract controversy.
Age: 70
Current roles: CAF president since 1988 and Fifa senior vice-president
Ahmad Ahmad
He apparently did not have his sights set on succeeding Hayatou “until I heard some federation presidents say they want change”.
The general feeling is that Ahmad is the right man to take Caf forward as he is already an executive member and knows what needs to change. In his manifesto he has made it clear that the standard of refereeing on the continent needs to improve and be looked at with serious scrutiny.
Ahmad also wants training courses of a high level for coaches. He, too, had been asking for votes in several other African countries, but is at least guaranteed support from Cosafa, which has 14 member associations, including his own Madagascar and South Africa.
Should he win, Ahmad will usher in a new era and will have to prove he has staying power and help the continent make the most of how the game has evolved in recent years, something Hayatou has been constantly criticised for.
Age: 57
Current roles: Madagascar FA president and Caf executive member
Ahmad Ahmad. Photo:Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix