Delayed Departure Highlights Ongoing Tensions in Cameroonian Football

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CmeroonOnline.org | Despite the impressive victory of the Cameroon national football team over Cape Verde this Saturday in Yaoundé, internal conflicts continue to overshadow the team’s success. This Sunday, another episode of discord between the Ministry of Sports (Minsep) and the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot) unfolded at Yaoundé-Nsimalen International Airport.

Scheduled to depart at 4 PM, the Indomitable Lions’ flight to Luanda was delayed until after 7 PM due to a heated dispute between the two administrative bodies. Both Minsep and Fecafoot staff claimed legitimacy to accompany the players, leading to intense arguments and prolonged negotiations.

Eventually, after much debate, both staff members boarded the specially chartered flight. The flight’s delay caused the team to leave the airport tarmac three hours late. The Indomitable Lions are set to face Angola on Tuesday, June 11, at 8 PM.

This conflict follows Cameroon’s 4-1 triumph over Cape Verde during the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Despite this on-field success, the atmosphere around the team remains tense due to ongoing power struggles.

Two separate staff groups continue to operate around head coach Marc Brys. During the Cape Verde match, members from both factions – Minsep and Fecafoot – were present in the stands. On Sunday, both groups insisted on joining the team for the flight to Angola for the fourth-round match against the Palancas Negras.

The tension at Yaoundé-Nsimalen airport escalated as only Minsep staff were initially scheduled to board, leaving Fecafoot members waiting in the hall. Heated discussions ensued, as reported by media outlets Camfoot and Cfoot. After lengthy negotiations and mounting impatience from the flight captain, Fecafoot staff members, including deputies Ndtoungou Mpilé, David Pagou, and Thierry Ndoh, were finally allowed to board.

This incident is expected to lead to further disputes regarding the staff’s presence and responsibilities during the pre-match training session in Angola and on the match day itself.