Samuel Eto’o Urges African Federations to Support FIFA President Infantino Ahead of 2027 Election

Samuel Eto’o, president of the Cameroonian Football Federation, has called on African football governing bodies to unite in support of FIFA President Gianni Infantino ahead of the global body’s next leadership election. In an interview with the French sports newspaper L’Equipe, the former Cameroon international striker commended Infantino for accelerating football development across the continent and broadening access to major international tournaments.

Eto’o’s endorsement highlights a clear divide between football leaders in Africa and Europe over FIFA’s governance and financial distribution strategies. Infantino has confirmed that he will seek re-election at the FIFA Congress scheduled for March 18, 2027.

Expanded Access and Financial Realities

Praising Infantino’s tenure, Eto’o asserted that “President Gianni Infantino has changed football” and emphasized that “Mr Infantino has helped our continent.” He pointed to the expansion of the men’s World Cup to a 48-team format for the tournament hosted in Canada, Mexico, and the United States as a primary benefit for developing nations. Under the expanded format, Africa was granted nine direct qualification slots, compared to the five guaranteed places the continent held during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Eto’o noted that African national associations face starkly different economic conditions than their European counterparts, with some federations operating on annual budgets as small as 150,000 euros and relying heavily on government support. He argued that these financial constraints prevent lower-income federations from viewing FIFA policies in the same manner as wealthy nations.

The shortage of local funding also contributes to the loss of top talent to European national teams, Eto’o stated. He cited French international stars Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni, who have Cameroonian family heritage, noting that higher domestic budgets of $20 million to $40 million annually would help African nations retain such players.

European Opposition and Legal Challenges

Eto’o’s public support for Infantino stands in sharp contrast to the position of European football’s governing body, UEFA, which has adopted an increasingly confrontational stance toward FIFA’s leadership. While Eto’o acknowledged UEFA’s significant contributions to the sport, he stated that the European body should not be treated as the sole or most important confederation.

Disagreements between UEFA and FIFA flared over a now-abandoned initiative to transfer commercial rights for the men’s World Cup, women’s World Cup, and Club World Cup into a new corporate subsidiary named FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would have allowed outside investors to buy stakes.

Ongoing Governance Dispute

Although FIFA permanently withdrew the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal following intense pushback, UEFA has continued to challenge the handling of the project. The European body has petitioned a court in the United States to gather evidence for a potential criminal complaint in Switzerland against Infantino, alongside other FIFA officials and advisers.

UEFA has also indicated plans to collaborate with stakeholders to propose alternative mechanisms for funding distribution under FIFA’s existing Forward programme. Despite these disputes, Eto’o reiterated his call for African federations to back Infantino, stating that the continent should support the FIFA chief for what he has accomplished so far.

Background

Gianni Infantino was first elected president of FIFA in 2016, succeeding Sepp Blatter following a widespread corruption scandal that engulfed the sport’s global leadership. Infantino’s presidency has been defined by expanding major global competitions, including increasing the men’s World Cup to 48 teams and launching an expanded 32-team Club World Cup. While these initiatives have earned strong backing from member associations in Africa, Asia, and North America due to increased participation opportunities and development funding, they have faced opposition from European governing bodies and elite leagues concerned over fixture congestion and commercial control.