'Infantino is the one who has brought the most to Africa' says Samuel Eto'o

Gianni Infantino, the president of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) is still in hot water because of his plan to sell stakes of the World Cup to private investors which has sparked a massive outcry. Despite the project being abandoned, the European, Asian and North American confederations have called for his departure. The African Confederation of Football (CAF) which has unanimously sided with him, however.

"We don't face the same challenges as those in Europe or South America for some cases. Our budgets are limited yet we are expected to perform just as well as those major footballing nations. So, I think for that reason alone, and I'm sure you'll agree with me, that we can't broach this issue from the same point of view", says Eto'o.

And while the European Football Federation (UEFA) is preparing a complaint against Gianni Infantino, Samuel Eto'o explains that "UEFA will defend its own interests. And it's perfectly normal for them to do so, just as it is normal for Africans to defend their own interests". Asked about the African continent’s support for Infantino, he added: "We are trying to come together to defend what seems right to us, given the challenges that we face in our own federations".

"I will vote for Gianni Infantino"

The president of the Cameroonian Football Federation also spoke about his relationship with the FIFA president, saying "in my heart, president Gianni has become, well beyond the world of football, a brother, a big brother, a friend, someone we watched to come to the fore, someone we've supported, with whom we have built things together that serves football".

Gianni Infantino is officially running for re-election at a congress scheduled in a few weeks. He needs a simple majority of the 211 federations and the 54 members of CAF for another mandate as president. "If I remain president of the Cameroonian Football Federation, I will vote for him for everything he has brought to African football" confirms Eto'o. "But, in addition to that, I will campaign among my fellow presidents so that for once all 54 presidents of the Confederation of African Football will vote in favour of Gianni. I believe President Gianni is the one who has brought the most to Africa."

On the other side, Constant Omari, a former president of the Congolese Football Federation, has called for Infantino to resign. He claims that African football leaders are morally corrupt, and he believes Gianni Infantino holds compromising information on the continent's federations. "On this particular question though, and I made this clear to president Constant, I am fully aligned behind president Infantino and I will campaign for president Infantino to win once again", Eto'o underlined.

"Since I have been at FIFA, I'm sorry to say, but I haven't yet heard a single exchange that was given under some form of threat. In my own confederation, however, and I always made this very clear with President Motsepe, I haven't always agreed with his administration and I haven't always agreed with those who were in place", he added.

"I'm very happy at the Cameroonian Football Federation"

Patrice Motsepe, the president of Confederation of African Football, has announced a few weeks ago that he will not run for another term in 2029. Asked about his own ambitions on the continental scene, Eto'o assured that today he is "very happy at the Cameroonian Football Federation" and "we still have many challenges to overcome, and we will keep working to ensure that victories keep coming our way".

He also congratulated the Lionnes Indomptables for their recent success during the Women's Africa Cup of Nations 2026 where they "made history for our football," noting "that Cameroon's national team doesn't come merely to qualify, but rather to win the trophy".

As for the the long-standing tensions between the Cameroonian Federation and the country’s Sports Minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombi as well as the players’ unpaid wages, he said "I haven't personally seen any of the tension, but for once, we have worked properly with the calm needed for a football team – and the result speaks for itself".