On the eve of the inauguration of the new headquarters of the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT) in Warda, Yaoundé, the former interim Secretary General, Parfait Siki, has released a critical analysis of the project. In his statement on May 11, he traces the history of the construction of the headquarters and the Odza technical center, highlighting what he considers to be the shortcomings of the current administration led by Samuel Eto'o.
Siki, who held important positions within FECAFOOT, believes that Cameroonian football deserves better than the media spectacle surrounding the inauguration. He directly links the elimination of the Lionesses U20 from the 2026 Women's World Cup to what he perceives as a failure of the managerial and sporting project of the current leadership team.
The history of the Warda headquarters dates back to 2010, under the presidency of Iya Mohammed, thanks to funds from the World Cup in South Africa. The company Guimar had been selected, but work was interrupted in 2013 following the imprisonment of Iya Mohammed. Tombi à Roko Sidiki, elected in 2015, then favored other projects, leaving the file to languish. In 2019, an audit commissioned by Seidou Mbombo Njoya revealed that Guimar had already received 900 million FCFA out of a total cost of 1.5 billion, with only 90% of the structural work completed.
To complete the work, FECAFOOT sought funding from FIFA and launched a new call for tenders, selecting PAC International. FIFA approved the addition of rental apartments to generate revenue, but the project was delayed by the hesitations of Seidou Mbombo Njoya and, subsequently, by Samuel Eto'o's decision to terminate the agreement with PAC International, leading to a legal battle and the loss of four years.
Regarding the Odza technical center, initiated by Iya Mohammed, Siki regrets that only a synthetic pitch and two buildings were built despite the initial ambitions. Seidou Mbombo Njoya had relaunched the project, but Samuel Eto'o's executive did not undertake the equipment phase to make the center fully operational, despite the significant financial benefits from the Lions' participation in the World Cup and three AFCONs. Siki criticizes the choice to prioritize the appearance of the headquarters in Warda at the expense of the development of amateur and youth football, pointing out that the elimination of the Lionesses U20 is a symbol of this failure. The inauguration of FECAFOOT headquarters is scheduled for May 13.
