Cameroon probes ex-Barca star Eto'o over alleged €567k Russia payment

Samuel Eto’o, former Barcelona and Chelsea striker and president of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT), is under investigation by the Association of Amateur Football Clubs of Cameroon (ACFAC) over allegations that he unlawfully received a payment from the Russian Football Union. ACFAC says the Russian federation breached its contract by depositing approximately €567,000 (about $655,000) into a bank account not registered to FECAFOOT, linked to a friendly match between Cameroon and Russia in October 2023. The association has declared its intention to pursue legal action against Eto’o through Cameroonian courts and to file a complaint in Russia against the Russian Football Union.

This matters to Nigerian football fans because Eto’o is one of Africa’s most celebrated players and a role model for many aspiring athletes across West Africa. Allegations of financial misconduct at the helm of a national football federation raise concerns about governance in African football, potentially affecting sponsorships, youth development programs, and the continent’s standing in global football bodies like CAF and FIFA.

Eto’o recently publicly backed FIFA President Gianni Infantino, insisting he “has committed no wrongdoing” despite growing criticism over a controversial World Cup commercialisation plan. Will this investigation change how you view the integrity of African football leaders, and do you think greater transparency is needed in how football finances are managed across the continent?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/16/etoo-faces-cameroon-probe-over-alleged-russia-payment/