US Soccer names Ghana’s Alidu Salifu as legal counsel

The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) has appointed Alidu Salifu, a US army officer and lawyer, as its new legal counsel responsible for overseeing sponsorships and licensing.

Alidu was born in Ghana but moved to the United States 13 years ago, where he proceeded to join the US army.

In this position, Alidu along with his team will represent U.S. Soccer in all commercial contract negotiations, including the drafting, reviewing, and negotiation of high-level sponsorships, media agreements, and licenses.

With seven years of military experience serving as a logistics officer and attorney in the Judge Advocate Corps, Alidu has developed a deep understanding of the legal framework surrounding complex negotiations.

His prior experience also includes working with a New York-based sports agency, underdog venture team, New York Red Bulls, FC Harlem and holding USSF coaching and refereeing licenses.

Alidu is also a co-founder of the African Football Development Initiative, a non-profit organization that focuses on providing sports equipment and capacity-building exercises to academies in Ghana.

The organization recently partnered with the Houston Dynamo, a Major League Soccer team, to donate equipment and conduct a capacity-building exercise in Accra, Ghana.

Alidu is a graduate of PRESEC-Legon in Ghana and Columbia University in the US. His professional background and personal commitment to sports make him a valuable addition to the USSF legal team.