Cameroon Football Federation president Samuel Eto’o has publicly backed FIFA president Gianni Infantino as opposition to his leadership continues to build ahead of the 2027 FIFA presidential election.
Speaking to CNN, Eto’o dismissed the criticism facing Infantino, suggesting that much of the controversy is linked to the upcoming election rather than wrongdoing by the FIFA president.
“I don’t think President Gianni Infantino has done anything wrong. I think the timing of all of this is because there is an election coming and Gianni Infantino is standing,” Eto’o said.
Infantino is seeking another term as FIFA president, with the election scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco.
His leadership has come under increased scrutiny following the collapse of a proposal to sell a 20 per cent stake in the commercial rights of FIFA competitions to private investors.
The proposed deal, reportedly worth about $4.2 billion, faced strong resistance from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF. Critics questioned the handling of the proposal and the extent to which FIFA’s member associations were consulted.
Several European football associations have since withdrawn their support for Infantino, while calls have grown for an alternative candidate to challenge him.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has ruled out running against Infantino but has indicated that he expects another candidate to emerge.
Eto’o, however, believes Infantino’s record should be judged beyond the current controversy. He particularly praised the FIFA president for creating more opportunities for developing football nations to compete on the global stage.
“President Gianni Infantino has changed football. He has given opportunities to nations that did not have those opportunities to take part in the most beautiful tournament, the World Cup,” the former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker said.
He also highlighted Infantino’s contribution to African football, arguing that his leadership has helped national football associations on the continent develop more rapidly.
“We need to acknowledge that. We need to accept and recognise what he has done, and we should support him for everything he has done up to now,” Eto’o added.
Africa has benefited from the expansion of the FIFA World Cup from 32 to 48 teams. The continent received nine guaranteed places at the 2026 tournament, with an additional qualification opportunity through the play-off tournament.
The expanded tournament also gave several African teams the opportunity to compete on a bigger stage, with FIFA noting that the 48-team edition featured four debutants and seven nations reaching the knockout stage for the first time.
FIFA has also pointed to its investment in African football through the FIFA Forward programme. The governing body says more than $1 billion has been invested in football development across Africa since 2016, with the total expected to reach $1.28 billion by the end of 2026.
Eto’o’s endorsement comes at a crucial time for Infantino as he works to strengthen his support ahead of the FIFA presidential election.
Although opposition from some major football authorities continues to grow, Infantino retains significant support in Africa and other regions.
For Eto’o, the focus should be on the opportunities and development initiatives introduced under Infantino rather than the political tensions surrounding the FIFA presidency.
His backing provides Infantino with another influential African voice as the FIFA president faces increasing opposition ahead of what could be one of the most closely watched presidential elections in world football.
By :Rachael Djabakie