Samuel Eto’o Urges African Football Federations to Support FIFA President Gianni Infantino

September 3, 2026 6 Min Read

Former Cameroon captain and Cameroon Football Federation president Samuel Eto’o has called on African football federations to continue supporting FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Eto’o says Infantino has played an important role in developing African football and giving more African countries the opportunity to participate in the FIFA World Cup.

The comments come at a time when Infantino is facing growing criticism from several football stakeholders, particularly in Europe, following controversy surrounding a now-abandoned proposal involving FIFA’s commercial rights.

In an interview with French sports newspaper L’Équipe, Eto’o argued that African football leaders should consider the specific financial challenges facing the continent when assessing FIFA’s leadership.

Eto’o: “Infantino Has Changed Football”

Eto’o strongly defended the FIFA president, saying Infantino has helped African football associations develop more quickly.

According to Al Jazeera, Eto’o said African federations should recognise what Infantino has achieved and support him.

The former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker particularly highlighted the increased opportunities for African countries to qualify for the World Cup.

“President Gianni Infantino has changed football.”

Eto’o believes the expansion of the World Cup has provided African nations with opportunities that previously did not exist.

Africa Now Has Nine Direct World Cup Places

One of the biggest changes under Infantino has been the expansion of the FIFA World Cup from 32 teams to 48.

For the 2026 World Cup, Africa received nine direct qualification places, compared with five places at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

There is also an additional opportunity through the intercontinental play-off system.

For African football federations, the expansion represents a significant increase in the possibility of seeing their national teams compete at the world’s biggest football tournament.

Eto’o pointed to this increase as one of the reasons African football leaders should continue recognising Infantino’s contribution.

You can learn more about the 2026 World Cup format and qualification structure through FIFA’s official World Cup 2026 page.

Why Eto’o Says Africa Needs More Money

Beyond World Cup qualification, Eto’o focused heavily on the financial challenges facing African football federations.

He argued that many African football associations operate with significantly smaller budgets than their counterparts in wealthier football nations.

According to Reuters, Eto’o said some federations operate on budgets as low as €150,000, making it difficult for them to compete with major football countries.

His argument is that African football requires greater financial resources if the continent wants to retain and develop its best young players.

Could Africa Have Produced Players Like Mbappé and Tchouaméni?

Eto’o made an especially striking argument about player development.

He suggested that if countries such as Cameroon had significantly larger football budgets, they could potentially have retained or developed players with the level of talent seen in some of Europe’s biggest stars.

He specifically mentioned French internationals Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni, both of whom have Cameroonian family connections.

Eto’o argued that stronger football infrastructure and greater financial resources could give African countries a better chance of retaining talented players or creating pathways for them to develop locally.

This highlights a long-running challenge for African football: talented young players frequently move to European academies and clubs because of the stronger infrastructure, coaching systems and financial opportunities available there.

Infantino’s Relationship With African Football

Infantino has developed strong relationships with many African football associations during his time as FIFA president.

One of the major initiatives associated with his administration is the FIFA Forward development programme, which provides funding and support for football development projects across FIFA member associations.

Projects supported through FIFA’s development programmes can include infrastructure, women’s football, youth development, coaching and administrative improvements.

The official FIFA Forward programme provides more information about FIFA’s football development funding and initiatives.

But Infantino Is Facing Serious Opposition

Eto’o’s comments come at a politically sensitive time for FIFA.

Infantino has faced growing opposition from UEFA and some football associations following controversy surrounding the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.

The proposal involved moving commercial rights connected to FIFA competitions into a new subsidiary and bringing in outside investors.

The plan attracted significant criticism, particularly from European football authorities, and was eventually abandoned.

Reuters reports that UEFA has continued to challenge the handling of the proposal and has sought evidence through the US courts in connection with a potential criminal complaint in Switzerland.

You can read Reuters’ latest report on the dispute and UEFA’s actions here.

Africa Has Largely Supported Infantino

African football leaders have generally been among Infantino’s strongest supporters as pressure against the FIFA president has increased.

Recent reporting by Al Jazeera noted that several prominent African football officials have expressed support for Infantino.

The issue is particularly important because the Confederation of African Football, commonly known as CAF, represents 54 national football associations.

With FIFA having 211 member associations worldwide, African votes could play an important role in the upcoming FIFA presidential election.

Al Jazeera previously reported that African football leaders including CAF officials and FIFA Council members had publicly expressed support for Infantino.

Read the earlier report on African football leaders backing Infantino.

Eto’o Says UEFA Should Not Be Considered the Most Important Confederation

Eto’o also pushed back against the idea that UEFA should have the greatest influence over global football simply because European football generates enormous commercial revenues.

He acknowledged UEFA’s importance but argued that FIFA should consider the interests and realities of football federations across the entire world.

This reflects a broader debate about how football’s financial resources should be distributed between wealthy football markets and developing football nations.

Africa has historically had fewer financial resources than Europe, while many of its best players compete for European clubs.

Infantino Plans to Seek Re-election

The political stakes are likely to become even higher ahead of the next FIFA presidential election.

Infantino has announced that he intends to seek another term as FIFA president.

The election is scheduled for March 18, 2027, at the FIFA Congress in Rabat, Morocco.

According to Reuters, Infantino is seeking re-election despite increasing criticism from several European football organisations.

His support among African football associations could therefore become an important part of the election battle.

Why Eto’o’s Position Matters

Samuel Eto’o is not simply a former football star commenting from outside the administration of the sport.

He currently serves as president of the Cameroon Football Federation, giving his comments additional significance within African football.

His public endorsement of Infantino also reflects the different priorities that can exist between football regions.

European football authorities may place greater emphasis on governance, transparency and control of commercial rights, while many African federations are heavily focused on funding, infrastructure and opportunities for national teams.

That difference in priorities helps explain why Infantino can face strong criticism in Europe while retaining substantial support in Africa.

What This Could Mean for African Football

If African federations continue to support Infantino, the continent could have significant influence over the direction of FIFA during the next presidential election.

More importantly, the debate highlights the need for sustainable investment in African football.

Better stadiums, training centres, youth academies, women’s football programmes, coaching education and professional domestic leagues could help African countries retain more talent and compete more effectively internationally.

For Eto’o, increased funding is not simply about having more money. It is about creating an environment where African footballers can develop at home and where African national teams can compete on a more equal footing with wealthier football nations.

Bottom Line

Samuel Eto’o has called on African football federations to support FIFA president Gianni Infantino, arguing that the FIFA chief has helped accelerate football development across the continent and expanded African access to the World Cup.

His comments come as Infantino faces increasing opposition from UEFA and other football stakeholders following controversy over the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal.

With Africa now holding nine direct places at the expanded 2026 World Cup and Infantino preparing to seek re-election in 2027, African football’s position could become increasingly important in the global football power struggle.

For Eto’o, the argument is straightforward: African football needs greater financial resources, stronger development structures and more opportunities for its players and national teams.