• Samuel Eto’o says Gianni Infantino has done nothing wrong amid criticism over the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal.

• The Cameroon FA president wants the proposal reconsidered if Infantino wins re-election in 2027.

• Eto’o believes the initiative could provide greater financial benefits for African and smaller football associations.

Cameroon Football Federation president Samuel Eto’o has defended FIFA president Gianni Infantino amid growing opposition to his leadership and called for the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal to be reconsidered.

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Speaking exclusively to CNN Sports, Eto’o said he did not believe Infantino had done anything wrong and suggested that the criticism surrounding the FIFA president was largely linked to next year’s election.

Speaking exclusively to CNN Sports, Eto’o said he did not believe Infantino had done anything wrong and suggested that the criticism surrounding the FIFA president was largely linked to next year’s election.

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The comments come after Infantino faced growing criticism over the FFE plan, which was designed to increase funding to FIFA’s 211 member associations by creating a commercial entity around the governing body’s tournament and commercial operations.

The proposal attracted strong opposition from UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation over concerns about how it was developed and presented.

Infantino eventually withdrew the proposal, but the controversy has continued to affect his bid for a fourth term as FIFA president. Several football associations have since withdrawn their support, while senior officials have also criticised aspects of FIFA’s governance.

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Eto’o, however, said the proposal deserved proper discussion rather than outright rejection. He argued that the FFE could benefit African football by giving smaller and less wealthy football nations greater financial resources. He also said he would support bringing the proposal back for discussion if Infantino wins another term.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has also maintained its support for Infantino, although reports indicate that some African associations are considering opposing him in the 2027 election. Infantino is seeking a fourth term at the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027 in Morocco.