Samuel Eto'o Defends Gianni Infantino as Continental Divide Grows Over FIFA Leadership
Cameroonian Football Federation president Samuel Eto'o has publicly defended FIFA president Gianni Infantino, dismissing governance criticism after Infantino's proposal to sell commercial stakes drew pushback from European and North American federations.
Eto'o mounts defence of FIFA leadership
Samuel Eto'o, the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation and former striker for Barcelona and Inter Milan, has come out in defence of FIFA president Gianni Infantino. In an interview broadcast by CNN on 24 August 2026, the 45-year-old administrator stated that Infantino had helped African federations develop at an accelerated pace and expanded tournament access for emerging nations. Eto'o argued that fairer resource distribution would allow African nations to attract and develop elite talent. He insisted that the current pushback against Infantino stems directly from the upcoming presidential election rather than administrative misconduct. Eto'o also expressed hope that Infantino's disputed commercial plan would be revisited if he secures a fourth term.
I don't think that President Gianni Infantino has done anything wrong. I think the timing of all of that is because there's an election coming out, when Gianni Infantino is standing. That's all there is.
Global division across confederations
The governing body faces deep fractures across its continental confederations ahead of the FIFA presidential ballot scheduled for March 2027. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced unanimous backing for Infantino in early August, with South American and Oceanian confederations also showing support. In contrast, the leadership of UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have publicly admonished Infantino and called for his departure. Concacaf president Victor Montagliani is considering launching a challenge for the presidency, though Infantino currently stands as the sole confirmed candidate. Alignment remains uneven within individual regions, as Mexico continues to back Infantino, several Asian federations have issued statements of support, and New Zealand has withdrawn support despite Oceania's general alignment.
- CAF releases unanimous statement supporting Gianni Infantino.
- Nordic federations declare loss of confidence as Samuel Eto'o backs Infantino.
- FIFA presidential election scheduled with Infantino seeking a fourth term.
Commercial plan and disciplinary controversy
The dispute follows Infantino's proposal to sell 21% of a commercial subsidiary, the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), to private investors including Joshua Kushner's Thrive Eternal. Although the plan was abandoned after broad resistance from member associations, the reversal failed to quell tensions surrounding FIFA decision-making. Governance scrutiny had already increased after FIFA suspended a one-game ban for United States forward Folarin Balogun during the World Cup. That disciplinary adjustment followed a telephone call from United States President Donald Trump to Infantino requesting a review, though Infantino maintained the decision was reached independently.
Nordic federations and players demand change
Institutional and player opposition coalesced further on 24 August 2026 through coordinated statements. Former France internationals Emmanuel Petit and Mikael Silvestre, alongside Chelsea defender and England international Lucy Bronze, promoted statements asserting that football has drifted away from its core values under Infantino. Simultaneously, the six Nordic football associations representing Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden released a joint declaration. The Nordic federations announced a formal loss of confidence in Infantino, expressed concern over executive governance, and stood in solidarity with UEFA to demand binding guarantees against future private ownership of FIFA competitions.
