The Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) was established by the Supreme Council of Sports in Africa – Zone 6.
It brings together 14 nations of Southern Africa under a single umbrella, with the goal of developing the game of football in the region.
This is not just from a playing point of view, but also with respects referees and the administration of the game. COSAFA was formed in 1983 in Malawi.
The 14 member countries of COSAFA are Angola, Botswana, Comores, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Associate Member Reunion.
Botswana was elected to host the Secretariat of COSAFA. This has been the case since 1992 when Ismail Bhamjee was elected President of COSAFA and Ashford Mamelodi appointed Secretary General.
In 2008, it was decided to open an administrative office in Johannesburg, South Africa which is the hub of the region.
The administration of COSAFA is currently led by its Executive Director, Sue Destombes.
The President of COSAFA is Artur de Almeida e Silva from Angola, who was elected in 2022.
The organisation has a number of competitions in the senior, Under-20 and Under-17 age-group, as well as a Beach Soccer tournament and Women’s Champions League.
The flagship men’s event, the COSAFA Cup, was first staged in 1997 and was once described by FIFA as the best regional football competition in the world.
COSAFA OFFICE BEARERS
President: Artur de Almeida e Silva (Angola)
Vice-president: Said Ali Said Athouman (Comoros Islands)
Executive members:
Timothy Shongwe (Eswatini)
Walter Nyamilandu-Manda (Malawi)
Faizal Sidat (Mozambique)
Ms Brenda Kunda (Zambia)
Khiba Mohoanyane (Lesotho)
Executive Director: Sue Destombes (South Africa)
STANDING COMMITTEES
| LEGAL & STATUTES COMMITTEE | ||
| South Africa | Chairperson | Poobie GOVINDASAMY |
| Lesotho | Vice-Chairperson | Mokhosi MOHAPI |
| Zambia | Member | Lombe MBALASHI |
| Mozambique | Member | Suleiman FONSECA |
| REFEREES COMMITTEE | ||
| Lesotho | Chairperson | Khiba MOHOANYANE |
| Mozambique | Vice Chairperson | Alberto Junior SIMANGO |
| Angola | Member | Inacio Manuel CANDIDO |
| Comoros | Member | Zeoudine ABDOU |
| Eswatini | Member | Sipho KUNENE |
| Madagascar | Member | M. Rene Jose ANDRIATIANARIVELO |
| Malawi | Member | Patrick KAPANGA |
| Mauritius | Member | Issa Badourkhan FANNY |
| Seychelles | Member | Jason DAMOO |
| Expert | CAF/FIFA Instructor | Felix TANGAWARIMA |
| COMPETITIONS COMMITTEE | ||
| Eswatini | Chairperson | Timothy SHONGWE |
| South Africa | Vice Chairperson | Gladwyn WHITE |
| Angola | Member | José NEVES |
| Botswana | Member | Johnson Masego NTSHINGANE |
| Comoros | Member | Kadafi SOULAIMANA |
| Madagascar | Member | M. Victorien ANDRIANONY |
| Malawi | Member | Justice Jabbar ALIDE |
| Mozambique | Member | Hilario MADEIRA |
| Seychelles | Member | Dolor ERNESTA |
| Zambia | Member | Chrispin KAMUNA |
| WOMENS’ COMMITTEE | ||
| Zambia | Chairman | Brenda KUNDA |
| Madagascar | Vice Chairperson | Solondranja MAHATOVA |
| Angola | Member | Sonia Marisa ANASTACIO |
| Botswana | Member | Patience Lobito NCUBE |
| Lesotho | Member | Malieno MAKHANG |
| Mozambique | Member | Claudete PEREIRA |
| Seychelles | Member | Shella MOHIDEEN |
| South Africa | Member | Anastasia Tshiclas |
| MARKETING, TV & COMMERCIAL COMMITTEE | ||
| Mozambique | Chairperson | Faizal SIDAT |
| Angola | Vice Chairperson | Celio MENDES |
| Eswatini | Member | Mashumi SHONGWE |
| Lesotho | Member | Sekonyela MOLEFE |
| Malawi | Member | Felistas DOSSI |
| South Africa | Member | Bennett BAILEY |
| TECHNICAL & DEVELOPMENT | ||
| Malawi | Chairperson | Walter NYAMILANDU-MANDA |
| South Africa | Vice-Chairperson | Linda ZWANE |
| Angola | Member | Miller GOMES |
| Eswatini | Member | Nichodemus MASHWAMA |
| Mauritius | Member | Zunaid MALL |
| Namibia | Member | Jaqueline SHIPANGA |
| South Africa | Expert | Fran HILTON-SMITH |
| FINANCE COMMITTEE | ||
| Botswana | Chairperson | Girish RAMKRISHNA |
| Eswatini | Vice Chairperson | Peter SIMELANE |
| Angola | Member | Distino Dos Santos DOMBELE |
| Comoros | Member | Said Ali ABDEREMANE |
| Madagascar | Member | Tanjoniaina Fanorenantsoa RANDRIAMANDRATO |
| Malawi | Member | Tiya SOMBA |
| Mozambique | Member | Arao Samuel FILIPE |
| Seychelles | Member | Arup DAS |
| FUTSAL & BEACH SOCCER COMMITTEE | ||
| Mozambique | Chairperson (Beach) | Imran MAHOMED |
| Angola | Member (Futsal) | Artur VILINGA |
| Botswana | Member | Tshepo MPHUKUTHI |
| Comoros | Member (Futsal) | Ismael YOUSSOUF |
| Comoros | Member (Beach) | Abdul-Latuf ABDALLAH |
| Madagascar | Member (Beach) | Lay Mein ALEXANDRE |
| Malawi | Member (Beach) | Chimango MUNTHALI |
| Mauritius | Member (Beach) | Sheralah ARMOOGUM |
| Mozambique | Member (Futsal) | Jose Luis DE SOUSA |
| Seychelles | Member (Beach) | Lewis MADELAINE |
| South Africa | Member (Futsal) | Poobalan GOVINDASAMY |
| South Africa | Member (Beach) | Kwenzakwakhe NGWENYA |
| Zambia | Member | Lombe MBALASHI |
JUDICIAL & INDEPENDENT BODIES
| DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE | ||
| Botswana | Chairperson | Tshiamo RANTAO |
| South Africa | Vice-Chairperson | Tebogo MOTLANTHE |
| Malawi | Member | Patrick MPAKA |
| Zambia | Member | Adrian KASHALA |
| APPEALS BOARD | ||
| Malawi | Chairperson | Wanangwa KALUWA |
| Angola | Vice-Chairperson | José CARLOS |
| Eswatini | Member | Manene THWALA |
| Mauritius | Member | Bhai Mustapha CHITBAHAL |
| South Africa | Member | Notyesi MVUYISO |
| Zambia | Member | Mr YOSA |
| ETHICS BOARD | ||
| Madagascar | Chairperson | Natacha ANDRIANAIVOSOA |
| Namibia | Member | Nixon MARCUS |
| South Africa | Member | Abel RAMOLOTJA |
| Zambia | Vice-Chair | Kephas KATONGO |
| GOVERNANCE & COMPLIANCE | ||
| Seychelles | Chairperson | Olivier CHANG-LENG |
| Eswatini | Vice-Chairperson | Masotja VILAKATI |
| Comoros | Member | Adelaid Ben Ali ABDOU |
| Lesotho | Member | Rethabile SETLOJOANE |
| Malawi | Member | Davis NJOBVU |
| Namibia | Member | Escher Immanuel LUANDA |
