Omar Mahmoud Nur named acting Somalia football federation president

Omar Mahmoud Nur has been appointed acting president of the Somalia Football Federation (SFF).

 The appointment follows a controversial move by the SFF Electoral Committee, to officially recognise the minutes of an extraordinary congress convened by a breakaway group of federation officials on June 21, 2025.

“The Committee confirms that the extraordinary congress held on 21 June 2025 was convened in accordance with the required procedures and statutory provisions.

“The Congress met quorum and followed due process,” the Electoral Committee said in a statement announcing the decision.

During the session, the splinter group passed a vote of no confidence in current SFF President Ali Abdi Mohammed, widely known as Al Shino, citing governance concerns and alleged mismanagement.

The move is likely to escalate an already fragile leadership dispute within the football governing body.

According to the breakaway faction, an Interim Executive Committee led by Nur who is popularly known as Mugaanbe, will oversee the federation's activities and organise a fresh Electoral Congress within nine months, in line with the SFF's statutes.

“The Committee remains committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to uphold transparency, accountability, and the rule of law in the administration of Somali football.”

Football's world governing body FIFA are yet to comment on the matter.

The development threatens to deepen the crisis within the federation, making it the second time in just three years, that the SFF has been rocked by internal power struggles.

In 2022, Al Shino himself rose to the leadership of federation through a similar struggle.

He was appointed after a vote ousted then-president Abdigani Said Arab, also during an extraordinary congress, a move that nearly drew sanctions from FIFA.

The world football governing body warned of a possible suspension over governance violations and political interference.

The conflict at the time brought uncertainty over the potential impact such decisions would have on national teams, as well as participation in international games.