Keypoints:
- Eto’o publicly defends Infantino
- Africa’s 54 associations could prove decisive
- Governance row reshapes 2027 race
CAMEROON football federation president Samuel Eto’o has publicly backed embattled FIFA chief Gianni Infantino as opposition to the governing body’s leadership intensifies ahead of the March 2027 presidential election in Rabat.
Eto’o’s intervention matters because Africa accounts for 54 of FIFA’s 211 member associations, giving the continent potentially decisive electoral weight. CAF remains institutionally behind Infantino, but each national federation casts its own vote, meaning continental endorsement does not automatically translate into a guaranteed bloc.
Eto’o defends Infantino
Eto’o, president of the Cameroon Football Federation, rejected the growing criticism surrounding Infantino and suggested the timing of the backlash was linked to next year’s FIFA election.
Speaking to CNN Sports, the former Cameroon, Barcelona, Inter Milan and Chelsea striker said he did not believe Infantino had ‘done anything wrong’ and argued that the FIFA president had expanded opportunities for smaller football nations. Reuters separately reported his support on August 24.
His intervention follows a declaration by CAF in April that its member associations had unanimously agreed to support Infantino’s re-election for the 2027–2031 term.
CAF reinforced that position in August after FIFA abandoned the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal. Its Executive Committee endorsed a joint update from Infantino and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström in which FIFA acknowledged mistakes in how the project had been handled.
Africa Briefing has previously examined CAF’s decision to stand by Infantino as the football rift widened.
Commercial plan triggers backlash
The immediate crisis stems from FIFA Forward Enterprise, a proposed commercial subsidiary combining tournament operations and rights including broadcasting, sponsorship, ticketing and hospitality.
Reuters reported that the plan included the possible sale of a 20 percent stake to private investors, potentially raising about $4.2bn.
FIFA argued that the project could unlock more commercial value and increase Forward funding from $8m per member association under the 2023–2026 cycle to $20m during 2027–2030.
But UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf objected to the process and raised concerns about governance, transparency and control of FIFA’s commercial assets.
FIFA withdrew the proposal on July 31 after Infantino acknowledged that the divisions it had created were no longer compatible with its purpose.
The controversy has continued. Reuters says the three confederations have discussed a possible no-confidence move, while several national associations have withdrawn support for Infantino.
Why African support matters
FIFA’s development spending forms an important part of the context for African federations, and Eto’o explicitly cited Infantino’s support for the continent when defending him.
FIFA says its Forward programme has funded pitches, training centres, women’s football, youth programmes and federation infrastructure around the world. Africa has also gained from the expanded World Cup, with the 48-team format widening opportunities for the continent’s national sides.
Eto’o pointed directly to that record, arguing that Infantino had helped countries previously denied opportunities at the highest level.
That helps explain CAF’s position, but it does not mean Africa’s votes can be counted in advance.
As Africa Briefing reported in its analysis of the 2027 FIFA race, each of Africa’s 54 associations controls its own ballot, and previous elections have shown that CAF endorsements do not always produce uniform voting.
Global battle widens
The dispute is not simply Africa against Europe.
Infantino retains support in Africa and elsewhere, while opposition has emerged from UEFA, the AFC, Concacaf and individual national federations. Reuters has reported continuing support from African and South American blocs even as opposition grows elsewhere.
Reuters reported that UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin expects a challenger to Infantino, although he has ruled himself out. Denmark’s football association has also called for an alternative candidate ahead of the March 18, 2027 vote in Rabat.
For Africa, the issue is increasingly one of leverage. Its 54 associations represent more than a quarter of FIFA’s electorate, making their votes highly valuable to any candidate assembling a winning coalition.
Africa’s growing football weight has also been reflected in expanded World Cup representation, a shift Africa Briefing has tracked as African participation widened.
What happens next?
Infantino has confirmed that he intends to seek another term, but the political environment has changed sharply since CAF’s unanimous endorsement in April.
The abandoned commercial proposal has turned what appeared to be a straightforward re-election campaign into a wider argument over FIFA’s governance, commercial model and distribution of football wealth.
Eto’o’s intervention therefore matters beyond Cameroon. It reinforces Infantino’s argument to developing football nations that his presidency has delivered money, access and opportunity.
Whether that case is strong enough to preserve CAF’s April consensus when voting begins in Rabat will be one of the defining questions of FIFA’s next election.
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