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Samuel Eto'o Backs Gianni Infantino in Split Over Abandoned World Cup Rights Plan

Eto'o’s public defence of Infantino underscores deep confederation rifts and points to the March 18, 2027 election as the likely moment to resolve the dispute.

President of FIFA Gianni Infantino attends the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, August 23, 2026. Teresa Suarez/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
President of the Cameroonian Football Federation and former professional footballer Samuel Eto'o speaks on the day of the 74th FIFA Congress at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, in Bangkok, Thailand, May 17, 2024. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha,
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Overview

  • Samuel Eto'o publicly declared his support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino in interviews published on Sept. 2–3, saying Infantino accelerated development in Africa and urging African federations to back him.
  • The contested FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal to sell a minority stake in World Cup commercial rights has been permanently withdrawn, but critics led by UEFA have pressed for document preservation and legal scrutiny.
  • UEFA has sought U.S. court permission to obtain evidence that could feed a possible criminal complaint in Switzerland, and several confederations issued preservation notices after the FFE leak.
  • Eto'o defended Infantino by citing tangible gains from FIFA Forward funding, including new federation headquarters and more World Cup places for African nations, and he argued poorer federations rely heavily on state support.
  • With Infantino confirmed as a candidate for re‑election on March 18, 2027, the presidential vote and pending legal steps have become the central forum for settling leadership and governance disputes at FIFA.