Rabat – Cameroon Football Federation President Samuel Eto’o has defended his decision to support Gianni Infantino in the upcoming FIFA presidential election, saying the FIFA president has given African countries greater opportunities to develop football.
In an interview with L’Équipe, Eto’o said African football federations face very different financial realities from their European counterparts. He also argued that federations with limited budgets cannot be expected to have the same perspective as wealthier football nations.
“We can never have the same perception of things. When you see some federations with budgets of €150,000, how can they compete with the big countries?” Eto’o said.
The former Cameroon international also highlighted FIFA’s Forward program, which has provided financial support to football federations around the world. According to Eto’o, the program has helped finance the headquarters of the Cameroonian Football Federation and could contribute to the development of more football talent in Africa.
“Today, President Infantino is giving Africans the opportunity to dream of developing football,” he added.
UEFA is not the only federation
Eto’o also addressed the growing tensions between Infantino and UEFA, particularly over the FIFA president’s plans for the organization and the distribution of football’s financial resources.
While acknowledging UEFA’s major contribution to global football, Eto’o rejected the idea that the European confederation should have the final say on FIFA matters.
“UEFA is an important confederation for FIFA and contributes enormously to football, but it should not be regarded as the only confederation or the most important one,” he said.
The former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker also defended Infantino in the controversy surrounding a proposal to open part of the World Cup rights to private investors. Eto’o said such matters should ultimately be decided democratically by FIFA’s 211 member associations.
For Eto’o, financial support remains central to football development in Africa.
“If we don’t have money, we cannot develop football,” he said.
Despite the criticism surrounding Infantino and the possibility of a competitive FIFA presidential election in March 2027, Eto’o said his position remains unchanged.
“I will support him,” the Cameroonian federation president said.
