LeFA delegation at 72nd FIFA Congress

SEKETE LESAOANA

MASERU – A delegation of the Lesotho Football Association (LeFA) executives recently took part in the 72^nd FIFA Congress held in Doha, Qatar. The middle eastern country is the stage for the 2023 football World Cup. The delegation comprising LeFA President, Advocate Salemane Phafane, First and Second Vice Presidents Khiba Mohoanyane and Matloko Mafantiri, and Secretary General Mohapi Mokhosi was part of FIFA deliberations that included voting on proposals for amending the statutes, the regulations governing the application of the statutes and the standing orders of the congress, as well as discussion of proposals duly submitted by member associations and the council within the period stipulated.

Speaking to Public Eye on the direct impact of the FIFA Congress on local football an upbeat Mokhosi cited a lot of positives for LeFA. He said the talks were unanimous and they collectively made resolutions that would see other member associations gain immensely from the mother body, especially on finances where FIFA is on a financial road to assist its member associations.

“Among other things, we discussed suspensions that would be handled by the soccer governing body to member associations in times that governments meddle negatively in national football associations’ matters. “The beauty of this move is that they will only be uplifted when those in office have been restored officially to their positions, and this is a lesson for the people in the sports ministry here at home,” Mokhosi warned.

The 72^nd FIFA congress was followed by the draw for the FIFA 2022 World Cup. The 2022 World Cup will begin with 32 teams in eight groups of four:

Group A: Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal, Netherlands
Group B: England, Iran, USA, Ukraine/Scotland/Wales
Group C: Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Poland
Group D: France, Australia/UAE/Peru, Denmark, Tunisia
Group E: Spain, Costa Rica/New Zealand, Germany, Japan
Group F: Belgium, Ghana, Morocco, Croatia
Group G: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
Group H: Portugal, Canada, Uruguay, South Korea

Group stage – all kick-off times

Monday November 21

Group A: Senegal vs Netherlands (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 10am)

Group B: England vs Iran (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm)

Group A: Qatar vs Ecuador (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 4pm)
Group B: USA vs Scotland/Wales/Ukraine (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)

Tuesday November 22

Group C: Argentina vs Saudi Arabia (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 10am)

Group D: Denmark vs Tunisia (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm)

Group C: Mexico vs Poland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm)
Group D: France vs UAE/Australia/Peru (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 7pm)

Wednesday November 23

Group F: Morocco vs Croatia (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 10am)
Group E: Germany vs Japan (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm)

Group E: Spain vs Costa Rica/New Zealand (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 4pm)

Group F: Belgium vs Canada (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)

Thursday November 24

Group G: Switzerland vs Cameroon (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 10am)

Group H: Uruguay vs South Korea (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm)

Group H: Portugal vs Ghana (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm)
Group G: Brazil vs Serbia (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Friday November 25

Group B: Scotland/Wales/Ukraine vs Iran (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 10am)

Group A: Qatar vs Senegal (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 1pm)
Group A: Netherlands vs Ecuador (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 4pm)

Group B: England vs USA (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Saturday November 26

Group C: Tunisia vs UAE/Australia/Peru (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 10am)

Group C: Poland vs Saudi Arabia (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm)

Group D: France vs Denmark (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm)

Group C: Argentina vs Mexico (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Sunday November 27

Group E: Japan vs Costa Rica/New Zealand (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 10am)

Group F: Belgium vs Morocco (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 1pm)

Group F: Croatia vs Canada (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 4pm)

Group E: Spain vs Germany (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Monday November 28

Group G: Cameroon vs Serbia (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 10am)

Group G: South Korea vs Ghana (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 1pm)

Group H: Brazil vs Switzerland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 4pm)
Group H: Portugal vs Uruguay (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Tuesday November 29

Group A: Netherlands vs Qatar (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 3pm)
Group A: Ecuador vs Senegal (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)

Group B: Scotland/Wales/Ukraine vs England (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)

Group B: Iran vs USA (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Wednesday November 30

Group D: UAE/Australia/Peru vs Denmark (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 3pm)
Group D: Tunisia vs France (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
Group C: Poland vs Argentina (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 7pm)
Group C: Saudi Arabia vs Mexico (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Thursday December 1

Group F: Croatia vs Belgium (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)

Group F: Canada vs Morocco (Al Thumama Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 3pm)

Group E: Costa Rica/New Zealand vs Germany (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Group E: Japan vs Spain (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)

Friday, December 2

Group G: South Korea vs Portugal (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)

Group G: Ghana vs Uruguay (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 3pm)

Group H: Serbia vs Switzerland (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 7pm)
Group H: Cameroon vs Brazil (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Round of 16

Saturday December 3

Winners of Group A vs. Runners-up of Group B (Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
Winners of Group C vs. Runners-up of Group D (Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 7pm)

Sunday December 4

Winners of Group D vs. Runners-up of Group C (Al Thumama Stadium, Doha; kick-off 3pm)
Winners of Group B vs. Runners-up of Group A (Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor; kick-off 7pm)

Monday December 5

Winners of Group E vs. Runners-up of Group F (Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah; kick-off 3pm)
Winners of Group G vs. Runners-up of Group H (Stadium 974, Doha; kick-off 7pm)

Tuesday December 6

Winners of Group F vs. Runners-up of Group E (Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan; kick-off 3pm)
Winners of Group H vs. Runners-up of Group G (Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail; kick-off 7pm)

Quarter-finals

Friday December 9