Visionary Reports

Cameroon’s domestic football championships are currently facing a severe financial crisis, casting a shadow over the state of the game.

The Syndicate of Cameroonian Footballers (SYNAFOC) has voiced strong concerns regarding the non-payment of crucial government subventions to clubs by the Cameroonian Football Federation (Fecafoot).According to Jacques Marcel Itiga, SYNAFOC’s communication officer, resolving this critical issue is urgently needed to prevent the further decline of the national leagues. He stated, “Only five clubs have received government subvention so far, and while we will refrain from naming them out of respect for those yet to receive funds, the situation is deeply concerning.”The impact of this financial strain is evident in salary payments!Guinness Super League:Players have gone without pay for the past two months.MTN Elite 2;There has been a slight improvement, with 11% of salaries paid for April,MTN Elite 1; A modest 18% of salaries were paid in April.These figures represent a decline compared to SYNAFOC’s March report, indicating a worsening financial situation for clubs. The core of the problem lies in the delayed disbursement of government funds. The government allocated 560 million CFA francs to be distributed among Elite 1 and Elite 2 clubs. However, Fecafoot is reportedly withholding these funds, demanding proof of salary payments from the clubs before releasing the subventions.

Clubs, in turn, argue that they cannot provide proof of payment when they have not yet received the funds. Their position is that they intend to use the subventions to pay salaries and would then be able to provide the necessary documentation at the end of the season.The consequences of these delays are dire for players, many of whom have gone unpaid for months. Mr. Itiga highlighted the case of Young Sport of Bamenda, where players reportedly received only one month’s salary last season and have received no payments since the current season began.”The situation is deteriorating rapidly,” Mr. Itiga emphasized, urging all stakeholders to convene and find solutions. SYNAFOC is specifically calling on Fecafoot to engage with football stakeholders, discuss the issues, and release the withheld funds to ensure players receive their due compensation. He stressed that football is a professional activity, and players, like any other professional, depend on regular salaries.Addressing the specific situation of the Guinness Super League Mr. Itiga acknowledged that Guinness provides funding on a quarterly basis. However, he argued that this payment schedule is unacceptable given FIFA regulations, which allow a player to terminate their contract and move to another club if they go unpaid for two consecutive months. “We strongly disagree with the idea that female players in the Guinness Super League should be paid only once every three months,” he asserted.Presenting a “barometer” on the well-being of footballers over the past two months, Barrister Daniel Blaise Ngos, the Secretary-General of SYNAFOC, also lamented the poor financial management within the clubs. He drew attention to numerous cases being heard by the National Ethics Resolution Chamber related to salary disputes.Barrister Ngos provided a detailed list of upcoming and adjourned hearings, indicating the widespread nature of the payment issues: Fovou Club (Baham), Aigle Royale of Menoua, Avion FC AcadémieCoton Sport (Garoua),Unisport (Haut Nkam , Léopold Sportif , FC Yaoundé 2 , Stade Renard de Mélong, Douala FC Stars Dja Sport Academy of Moyomésala FC Yaounde 2,Stade Renard de Mélong, cases will hold on May 16,June 13, 2025 postponement for conclusions on the cases concerning the following clubs;Canons Sportifs of Yaoundé, Stade Renard in Mélong, Aigle Royal du Mungo, Tonnerre kalara club case adjourned for June 13 for production of warrants.Barrister Ngos further revealed that a staggering 22 clubs are yet to receive any of the state subvention held by Fecafoot’s treasury.In conclusion, SYNAFOC expressed hope that all stakeholders will find a compromise and urgently resolve the financial constraints plaguing Cameroonian domestic football clubs.

By Henry Wana