Samuel Eto’o, the president of the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT), has been handed a six-month ban by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee. The ban prohibits him from attending any football matches involving Cameroon’s national teams—both men’s and women’s—across all age categories.
The sanction stems from an incident that occurred during Cameroon’s U-20 Women’s World Cup round-of-16 match against Brazil on September 11, 2024, in Bogotá, Colombia. According to FIFA, Eto’o’s conduct during the match violated Articles 13 (Offensive Behaviour and Violation of the Principles of Fair Play) and 14 (Misconduct of Players and Officials) of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
While specific details of the incident have not been disclosed, FIFA emphasized that Eto’o’s actions constituted a breach of the rules related to offensive behavior and fair play principles. This match, which ended in a 3-1 defeat for Cameroon after extra time, marked the conclusion of the U-20 team’s World Cup campaign.
Eto’o, a former Barcelona star and renowned football figure, has been leading FECAFOOT since 2021. His ban is effective immediately, and it will prevent him from attending any national team matches during the suspension period.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the President of the Cameroonian Football Association (FECAFOOT), Samuel Eto’o, with a six-month ban from attending matches of Cameroon’s representative teams for breaches of Articles 13 and 14 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code,” a FIFA statement confirmed.
This decision comes at a critical time for Cameroon’s men’s national team, as they gear up for an important double-header against Kenya in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification campaign scheduled for October. Eto’o had recently chaired a meeting in Douala to discuss preparations for these upcoming fixtures.
Having had a distinguished playing career that included four World Cups and multiple UEFA Champions League titles with Barcelona and Inter Milan, Eto’o now faces a challenging period in his role as president of FECAFOOT. The federation has not yet issued a statement regarding the ban.