Eto’o faces allegations of embezzlement in Cameroon FA presidency role

What the report says

Samuel Eto’o, the president of Cameroon’s football federation FECAFOOT and a former star for Barcelona and Chelsea, is facing fresh allegations of embezzlement tied to his role in the association, Al Jazeera reported on 14 September 2026. Former FECAFOOT executives accuse him of diverting more than 567,000 euros, or about $665,000, in appearance fees linked to a 2023 Cameroon friendly against Russia into a personal bank account.

According to the report, the allegations were published in The Times in London and refer to documents that allegedly show payments being routed to an account held by Eto’o at Qatar National Bank in Doha. The former officials say they were forced out of the federation and had already submitted complaints to FIFA’s ethics committee more than a year ago, although they say they have not received a substantive update. Al Jazeera said it contacted FECAFOOT, CAF and FIFA for comment, but did not receive responses.

The report says Eto’o denies the allegations. It also notes that he serves on the executive board of the Confederation of African Football. The new claims come amid a series of earlier disciplinary controversies involving Eto’o, including suspensions and sanctions over conduct at international and club-related events. More broadly, the case highlights continuing scrutiny of football governance in Cameroon and the wider African game.