The Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) has announced stricter requirements for clubs in the MTN Elite One and Two leagues, with a focus on youth football development. Starting from the 2026/2027 season, no Elite One club will be granted a national license without fielding a team in the FIFA TDS U17 youth championship. This measure will extend to Elite Two from the 2027/2028 season.
This decision, although announced several years ago, is now entering a phase of strict enforcement. FECAFOOT aims to compel professional clubs to structure their training programs and invest more in youth development. The main objective is to modernize youth football in Cameroon and encourage clubs to adopt a truly professional approach, going beyond simply managing the first team.
Currently, only a few clubs among the fourteen competing in MTN Elite One already meet this requirement. Aigle Royal de la Menoua, Gazelle de Garoua, and Coton Sport de Garoua are among the teams actively participating in the FIFA TDS U17 championship. For other clubs, the situation varies. Many have youth categories and local selections but are not registered in the FIFA TDS national championship. FECAFOOT will no longer tolerate this discrepancy.
The national license, essential for participating in professional championships, will therefore be conditional on the presence of a U17 team registered in the FIFA Talent Development Scheme. Elite One clubs have just over a year to comply with this rule, which will take effect from the 2026/2027 season. Elite Two clubs will benefit from an additional grace period, with implementation from 2027/2028.
This measure marks the end of a period of tolerance where many clubs settled for the bare minimum in terms of training, often due to a lack of concrete sanctions. From now on, clubs will have to choose: invest in young people or renounce their professional status. This turning point could redefine the landscape of local football and reveal which leaders are truly ready to commit for the long term.
Clubs, therefore, have just over a year to comply. While some structures like Coton Sport and Gazelle have already taken the lead, others will have to start from scratch to create an academy and structure a U17 coaching staff. The future of Cameroonian football is in their hands. FECAFOOT, under the leadership of Samuel Eto'o, is intensifying its efforts to revive youth football and build a solid database to detect and train young talents.
