The President of the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT), Samuel Eto'o, has congratulated Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, on his ten years at the head of world football's governing body. In a short video, Eto'o highlighted the positive impact of Infantino's tenure on African football, particularly through the FIFA Forward program.
Eto'o emphasized the investment of over one billion dollars via the FIFA Forward program, which has helped strengthen Africa's place in world football. He also praised the increase in the number of places allocated to African teams for the World Cup, from 5 to potentially 10 if the Democratic Republic of Congo qualifies in the playoffs. The FECAFOOT president also highlighted the attention paid to the development of women's football in Africa.
Elected on February 26, 2016, at an extraordinary congress following the resignation of Sepp Blatter, Gianni Infantino set out to reform FIFA after a troubled period. His term has been marked by controversies, including a citation in the Panama Papers affair in 2016 and allegations of circumventing financial fair play rules in 2018. Despite these challenges, Infantino has been re-elected as FIFA president twice, with his current term extending until 2027.
Under Infantino's leadership, FIFA has increased the number of teams participating in the World Cup from 32 to 48 starting in 2026. Video arbitration (VAR) was also introduced at the 2018 World Cup. FIFA has also greatly increased its revenue through the increase in the number of competitions and participating teams, allowing for a greater redistribution to national federations.
The FIFA Forward program, launched in 2016, has allocated more than $5 billion to 211 member associations for football development projects. This program finances infrastructure projects such as the construction of pitches and technical centers, as well as initiatives to develop women's football and youth training. In Africa, the program has enabled the construction and renovation of numerous technical centers and federation headquarters.
The FIFA Forward initiative has enabled massive investment in African football, with over one billion dollars committed to various projects. These investments have helped to improve infrastructure, develop women's football and increase the number of places allocated to African teams for the World Cup. Time will tell whether these efforts will bear fruit in terms of on-field performance and sustainable football development on the continent.
