5 November 2019 – South African Football Association (SAFA) Acting CEO, Russell Paul is leaving the Association to take up a senior position within the Qatar 2022 World Cup Organising Committee.

Paul leaves the Association in a very stable position. Since being appointed to the role in September last year (2018), he has helped various national teams qualify for major tournaments in line with SAFA’s Vision 2022 blueprint.

During his tenure:

  • The Women u17 National Team qualified for the FIFA World Cup in Uruguay 2018
  • The u20 Men’s National Team won the COSAFA 2018 tournament and qualified for the FIFA World Cup in Poland
  • Banyana Banyana were runners up at the AWCON in Ghana where they lost in the final to Nigeria on penalties and qualified for the FIFA World Cup in France. They also won the COSAFA Cup title for the third time in a row
  • Bafana Bafana reached the last 8 at the AFCON tournament in Egypt in June
  • U23 qualified for AFCON 8-Nation tournament in Egypt
  • The FUTSAL team qualified for the AFCON tournament scheduled for Morocco in April this year

Paul has extensive experience in football administration having, among others, been part of the South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup, the first-ever World Cup hosted on the African continent.

Apart from being one of the top General Coordinators on the continent, Paul was one of the two Africans to have taken part in running Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup.

SAFA President Dr Danny Jordaan said Paul’s expertise and professionalism is well documented and he is happy that his experience will help Qatar 2022 organise a proficient FIFA World Cup.

“He leaves SAFA in a very healthy position and I want to wish him all the best. Russell Paul is a football servant and in my football career, I have come across very few professional individuals like him. He has SAFA and my blessing for his next assignment,” said Dr Jordaan.

“Whilst we wish Russell Paul the very best in his new and challenging responsibility in delivering the first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East, we welcome Gay Mokoena as the acting CEO for the period of 3 months.”

 

Sports positions previously held by Russell Paul

ACTING CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SAFA.

GENERAL MANAGER: FOOTBALL BUSINESS, SAFA.

2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa

  • During the 30-month period, he started out as being appointed as the first Venue Manager (Mangaung / Bloemfontein) – then appointed as Manager in the Office of the Chief Competitions Officer and the last 18months as Divisional Manager: Competitions, overseeing all Venues

FIFA APPOINTMENTS:

  • ASSISTANT GENERAL COORDINATOR – 2008 FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP in Japan
  • GENERAL COORDINATOR – 2009 u17FIFA WORLD CUP in Nigeria (Enugu)
  • GENERAL COORDINATOR – 2011 u17FIFA WORLD CUP in Mexico (Monterrey)
  • GENERAL COORDINATOR – 2013 u17FIFA WORLD CUP in UAE (Sharjah)
  • GENERAL COORDINATOR – 2014 FIFA WORLD CUP in Brazil (Cuiaba)
  • GENERAL COORDINATOR – 2017 FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP in UAE (Al Ain)
  • GENERAL COORDINATOR – 2018 FIFA WORLD CUP in Russia (Samara)
  • MATCH COMMISSIONER for FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
  • Education instructor, Tanzania 2011

CAF APPOINTMENTS

  • ASSISTANT GENERAL COORDINATOR – 2012 AFCON, GABON / EQ Guinea
  • GENERAL COORDINATOR – 2015 AFCON, EQ Guinea
  • GENERAL COORDINATOR – 2017 AFCON, Gabon
  • GENERAL COORDINATOR – Inter Club Matches (CAF Confederations Cup and CAF Champions League)
  • GENERAL COORDINATOR – 2017 CAF Champions League Final (1st leg) Al Ahly Sporting Club(Egypt) VS Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)
  • GENERAL COORDINATOR – 2018 CAF Champions League Final Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia) vs Al Ahly Sporting Club (Egypt)
  • CAF INSTRUCTOR – Club Licensing Infrastructure
  • CAF STADIUM INSPECTOR
  • CAF INSTRUCTOR for Match Commissioners / General Coordinators

CONCACAF

  • GENERAL COORDINATOR – Copa América Centenario USA 2016

TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR

  • NIKE PREMIER CUP, SOUTH AFRICA (International u14 Boys Tournament)
  • MERIDIAN CUP, SOUTH AFRICA (u19 Boys Youth Tournament UEFA/CAF)
  • 7th CAF AFRICAN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP South Africa 2010
  • 17th CAF AFRICAN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP South Africa 2011 29th Orange Africa Cup of Nations, SOUTH AFRICA 2013
  • 3rd African Nations Championship, SOUTH AFRICA 2014
  • Africa Futsal Cup of Nations, SOUTH AFRICA 2016
  • COSAFA CUP (Senior men’s Tournament) for COSAFA 2017

Community Sport Administration

  • 1987~1994 – Chairman Sunland’s Sport and Recreation Club

Club Sport Administration

  • 1982~1985 – Junior Chairman Lansdowne Football Club / Junior Coach
  • 1985~1987 – Club Secretary Lansdowne Football Club
  • 1987~1994 – Chairman Lansdowne Football Club

District Sport Administration (Now LFA)

  • 1991 – Vice Chairman *Princeton Football Association / Chairman Disciplinary Committee
  • 1992~1994 – President *Princeton Football Association

*now Cape District Football Association

Provincial Sport Administration

  • 1992~1993 – General Secretary Western Province Soccer Association (now SAFA Cape Town)
  • 1993~1995 – Vice President SAFA Western Province (now SAFA Cape Town)
  • 1995~1999 – President SAFA Western Province (now SAFA Cape Town)
  • 1997~1999 – Vice President National Sports Council

National Sport Administration

  • 1992~1997 – Member of SAFA Competitions Committee
  • 1996~2000 – Member of the National Executive Committee South African Football Association (SAFA), Chairman of SAFA National Referees Committee
  • Alternate Director: Cape Town Olympic Bid Committee

Playing

  • 1983~1994 – Lansdowne Football Club, Super League