CAF president Issa Hayatou faces a lively contest on Thursday as he looks to stand for an eighth term at the helm when the Congress is held in Addis Ababa. Hayatou’s leadership is being challenged by Ahmad, a Madagascan government minister who uses a single name and is only the third challenge Hayatou has faced since he first became CAF president in 1988. The other opponents – Armando Machado of Angola in 2000 and Ismail Bhjamjee of Botswana in 2004 – were roundly beaten but Ahmad is the first to have received expressions of support from among the CAF member countries, including the grouping of 14 southern African countries and Nigeria.

Hayatou and his opponent have waged a lively election campaign over the last two months with an unusual level of public pronouncements for a process that is usually played out behind closed doors. The 70-year-old Hayatou, who also serves as FIFA’s senior vice president, promises continuity while Ahmad says it is time for change. “Basically, what we all want is a change in leadership, in the system, and in how we manage the Confederation. We live in a time of transformation. The majority of federation presidents have changed. There are many more young people than before,” Ahmad said in an interview.

The Malagasy Football Federation president said he was confident of receiving backing, even though there has only been two major displays of support. “Others won’t say it [that they want change] publicly. I know that and I respect their position," he added. The election for the CAF president is followed by elections for seven of the 15 places on the organisation’s executive committee and then a tightly run contest for Africa’s seven places on the new-look FIFA Council, the all-powerful cabinet that runs the world game.