Former Cameroonian football great Samuel Eto’o, now president of the Cameroonian Football Federation, publicly defended FIFA President Gianni Infantino during a recent interview with CNN Sports. Eto’o said Infantino has done nothing wrong and that criticism of the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal is largely tied to the upcoming FIFA presidential election.
Eto’o’s remarks on the FFE plan
Eto’o, a former player for Barcelona, Inter Milan, Chelsea and Real Madrid, praised Infantino’s efforts to broaden opportunities for smaller football nations. He argued the FFE plan would have helped distribute resources more fairly, allowing nations like Cameroon to develop facilities and attract top talent such as Kylian Mbappé, who has Cameroonian heritage.
“President Gianni Infantino has changed football,” Eto’o said. “He’s given opportunities to nations that didn’t have those opportunities to take part in the most beautiful tournament, the World Cup. He enabled smaller nations to get seats at these competitions.”
International backlash and support
Infantino’s push to fast‑track the FFE proposal sparked criticism from several continental confederations. UEFA threatened to boycott future tournaments, while CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation called for a leadership change. The upcoming Under‑20 Women’s World Cup in September could become a flashpoint if UEFA teams withdraw, potentially affecting the host nation, Poland.
Despite the opposition, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has largely stood behind Infantino, though it is unclear how many individual African associations share that stance. Cameroon’s support appears strong; Infantino even thanked Eto’o in an Instagram post.
Potential paths for change
FIFA’s statutes allow for an extraordinary congress if 20% of the 211 member associations submit a formal written request. Such a congress could trigger a vote of no confidence in Infantino, but no official guidelines have been released on how that process would unfold.
The next regular FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March 2027, and candidates must file by November 18. No challenger has yet emerged publicly, leaving Infantino in place for the time being.
Broader implications for African football
Eto’o emphasized that the FFE project could have “reset the balance of power in football” to ensure African talent remains on the continent rather than migrating to other national teams. He urged fellow African presidents to reread the proposal and consider supporting it if Infantino is re‑elected.
Support for Infantino also comes from other regions. South America’s CONMEBOL praised FIFA’s decision to scrap the plan but stopped short of demanding Infantino’s resignation. The Argentine Football Association, Mexico (CONCACAF), and AFC members Qatar, Indonesia and the Philippines have expressed varying degrees of sympathy.
Conclusion
While criticism of Infantino’s leadership continues, prominent voices like Samuel Eto’o argue that his tenure has benefited smaller football nations and that the disputed proposal, if revisited, could further advance African football. The upcoming FIFA election will determine whether the current president retains his position or faces a formal challenge from within the global soccer community.
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
