S. Korean football chief fails to reclaim seat on FIFA Council

Sports 18:55 February 01, 2023

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, Feb. 1 (Yonhap) -- South Korean football chief Chung Mong-gyu failed to regain a seat on FIFA's main decision-making body Wednesday.

Chung, president of the Korea Football Association, lost out in an election for the FIFA Council during the 33rd Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Congress at Gulf Convention Centre in Manama, Bahrain, on Wednesday.

This file photo from Sept. 2, 2022, shows Korea Football Association President Chung Mong-gyu. (Yonhap)

Chung served his first tour of duty on the FIFA Council from 2017 to 2019. He failed to get a second straight term in 2019 after losing out in an election.

On the FIFA Council, the AFC president has an automatic seat, as does a member of the AFC Female Executive Committee.

Chung was up against six other candidates for the five remaining Asian positions on the FIFA Council: Du Zhaocai of China, Kozo Tashima of Japan, Datuk Haji Hamidin Bin Haji Mohd Amin of Malaysia, Mariano Araneta, Jr. of the Philippines, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Thani of Qatar and Yasser Almisehal of Saudi Arabia.

Representatives from 45 AFC member associations cast their ballots, and they could vote for up to five candidates. Chung finished sixth with 19 points, one ahead of Du. The other five were elected to the FIFA Council.