CameroonOnline.ORG | The crisis between the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) and the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education (MINSEP) has taken a new turn. The much-anticipated elections of the federation, initially scheduled to run between August and November 2025, have been officially suspended by the Ministry. Yet, in open defiance, FECAFOOT’s electoral commission has pressed ahead with the process, launching the reception of candidacy files for key positions such as president, vice president of departmental leagues, and delegates to the general assemblies of regional leagues.
At the heart of this standoff is Samuel Eto’o, the president of FECAFOOT, who has chosen to challenge Narcisse Mouelle Kombi, the Minister of Sports and Physical Education. Despite the veto from the government, Eto’o and his team maintain that the electoral process must move forward, insisting that FECAFOOT remains autonomous in managing its internal affairs.
On Thursday, August 21, 2025, the commission officially opened the window for submitting candidacies. This move directly contradicts the suspension announced by the Ministry, which had raised alarm over serious irregularities in the process.
Government Concerns: Irregularities and Exclusions
In a detailed correspondence addressed to the FECAFOOT president, the Ministry expressed grave concerns. According to the Minister, the electoral process has been marred by targeted suspensions of candidates, questionable substitutions within committees, and the exclusion of several football clubs from crucial regions such as Littoral, Adamaoua, West, and North. These actions, the Ministry argued, appear to be calculated to favor certain electoral interests, thereby undermining transparency and fairness.
The Minister went further to warn of possible public disorder, stressing the sensitivity of the current political climate as Cameroon prepares for the presidential election. The letter stated:
“The electoral process within FECAFOOT is subject to serious tensions that could generate disturbances to sporting public order, at a time when the Cameroonian people are resolutely focused on the election of the President of the Republic. There is no alternative principle but that this major event is of national interest and should not be disrupted by any other electoral activity.”
Why the Ministry Suspended the Elections
Beyond the alleged irregularities, MINSEP reproached FECAFOOT for initiating the electoral process without prior approval from the supervising authority. The Ministry underlined that such unilateral action breaks with established tradition, where all national sports federations customarily coordinate their electoral schedules with the Ministry.
In its official communiqué, MINSEP declared:
“The launch of the electoral process by FECAFOOT without informing the supervising authority, as has always been the case with all national sports federations, violates the spirit of collaboration that exists between the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education and the national sports movement as a whole.”
A Tug of War With Uncertain Outcomes
This latest clash is part of a long series of disputes between FECAFOOT and the Ministry. Both institutions are locked in a power struggle that raises questions about governance, autonomy, and state oversight in Cameroon’s football administration. While FECAFOOT asserts its independence and continues preparations for the elections, MINSEP insists that the process cannot move forward under current conditions.
The coming weeks will determine whether FECAFOOT’s defiance prevails or whether the Ministry enforces its suspension with stronger measures. For now, Cameroon’s football community watches closely as the standoff between Eto’o and Mouelle Kombi deepens, threatening to destabilize both the sporting and political arenas.