28 November 2018 – The opening of the FIFA Development Regional Offices in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 28 November 2018 was attended by most COSAFA Presidents and top FIFA officials.

The offices which are situated at SAFA House on the North Wing, was attended by among others SAFA President, Dr Danny Jordaan as the host, the Presidents of Mozambique, Lesotho, Zambia, Swaziland and Botswana while other COSAFA countries sent their senior representatives.

Also in attendance were FIFA’s Joyce Cook and Senior FIFA Manager of development in Africa and the Caribbean, Veron Mosengo-Omba.

The Johannesburg office which will cater for COSAFA and East Africa will be run by David Fani who is the Regional manager of the office.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, SAFA President Dr Jordaan said the office was vital for a number of reasons, first being that instead of travelling to Zurich, Switzerland at the FIFA headquarters, most regional leaders will get answers within their corridors.

Dr Jordaan said the office was a perfect fit for FIFA’s development agenda of the game.

He said the new FIFA leadership was working hard to undo the imbalance in world football between the haves and have nots and COSAFA as a Region was benefitting very much from this.

He said COSAFA has of late provided national teams at almost all of FIFA’s major events with Banyana Banyana being the latest from the Region to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in France next year.

Dr Jordaan said the FIFA Forward Programme was making a huge difference in the world of football.