November 6 – FIFA has confirmed the appointment of Elkhan Mammadov as the organisation’s chief member associations officer with Gelson Fernandes stepping in as his deputy.
In a statement, FIFA secretary-general Mattias Grafstrom said: “Elkhan’s considerable experience and lifetime involvement in football, combined with Gelson’s perspective from his achievements on and now off the pitch, will strengthen FIFA’s commitment to our 211 Member Associations as we collaborate with them to deliver sustainable development tailored to their needs.”
Mammadov will replace Kenny-Jean Marie, who departs FIFA.
In 2022, Mammadov joined FIFA from the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) to head up FIFA’s Member Associations Europe Subdivision, responsible for implementing the FIFA Forward programme across the continent.
“Equally, we also recognise the significant contribution made by Kenny over the past four years in bolstering the impact of FIFA Forward, including the launching of a third cycle of this programme, which is critical to the advancement of football’s global infrastructures and programmes,” said Grafstrom.
“Furthermore, his pivotal role in the successful establishment of our Paris office has enabled us to be closer to the member associations on a daily basis. I want to warmly thank Kenny for everything and wish him all the best for the future.”
A former Swiss international, Fernandes will serve as Mammadov’s deputy. He led the African subdivision of the programme.
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