The Ethiopian Football Federation has announced that current President Isayas Jira has emerged as the only candidate for the Presidential election set to take place in September. 

After reviewing the documents of prospective candidates, it has been announced that Isayas was the only one who fulfilled the criteria for the election. Isayas has been at the helm since 2018 and was voted again for a second term in 2022. His running for a third term has drawn criticism from several quarters, as the previous limit of a presidential term was set to two terms. 

Critics argue that Ethiopian football hasn’t shown much development in the past five years and that the national team being forced to play home games away from home is a big indictment on the Federation. 

Under Isayas’s tenure, the Ethiopian Football Federation managed to move into its own headquarters, formed strategic partnerships with sponsors, and helped form the Ethiopian Premier League Share company, which boosted the league’s professionalism and paved the way for broadcasting deals. Club licensing requirements were also implemented. 

However, there are many people among the media and fans who believe that enough hasn’t been done to transform Ethiopian football and that a new face was needed to usher in a new dawn for the country’s most popular sport. 

The election is scheduled to take place during the General Assembly on September 15, 2026.