Cameroon Football Federation president Samuel Eto’o has strongly defended FIFA president Gianni Infantino, arguing that the FIFA leader has created opportunities for African countries to develop football and compete at a higher level.
Eto’o made the remarks while discussing his decision to support Infantino ahead of the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027. The former Cameroon international said his position was influenced by what he considers tangible benefits that FIFA programmes have delivered to African football.
According to Eto’o, African football associations operate under very different financial conditions from their European counterparts. He argued that some African federations have extremely limited budgets and therefore require greater financial support to build infrastructure, develop young players and strengthen their football systems.
“Today, President Infantino is giving Africans the opportunity to dream of developing football,” Eto’o said, highlighting the impact of FIFA’s Forward programme.
The FIFA Forward programme provides financial support to member associations for football development projects. Eto’o pointed to Cameroon as an example, saying FIFA funding had contributed to the development of infrastructure for the country's football federation.
For the former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker, financial investment remains one of the biggest challenges facing football development across Africa.
“If we don’t have money, we cannot develop football,” Eto’o argued, stressing the need for resources to support grassroots football and help African countries retain and develop talented players.
His comments come amid a wider dispute surrounding Infantino's leadership of FIFA. The FIFA president faced strong criticism after proposing the creation of a commercial arm that would have allowed private investors to take a stake in FIFA's commercial operations, including rights connected to the World Cup.
The controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal was later abandoned after opposition from several football confederations, particularly UEFA. FIFA subsequently confirmed the permanent withdrawal of the project.
Despite the controversy, Eto’o maintained that African football leaders should consider the realities facing their own federations when assessing Infantino's leadership.
He also rejected suggestions that European football authorities should have greater influence over FIFA's decisions than other confederations. According to Eto’o, FIFA's 211 member associations should have an equal voice in major decisions affecting world football.
Eto’o's comments further underline the strong support Infantino continues to receive from sections of African football leadership as he prepares for the 2027 FIFA presidential election.
The Cameroon football chief has made his position clear, saying he will continue to support Infantino despite the growing criticism surrounding the FIFA president.
For African football, the debate highlights the importance of funding, infrastructure and opportunities for young players as the continent seeks to compete more strongly on the global stage.