World Cup (Q): Laments, accusations come after Cameroon’s elimination

A chaotic 2026 World Cup qualification campaign came to a disappointing end this week for Cameroon, who fell 0-1 to DR Congo in the CAF regional playoff semifinal on Thursday in Rabat, Morocco.

After a tightly contested match that went scoreless until second half stoppage time, DR Congo captain Chancel Mbemba’s volley from a corner kick sent the Leopards support into delirium. For Cameroonian supporters, it was absolute heartbreak but perhaps an inevitable conclusion to a qualification campaign characterized by a lack of unity and finger pointing.

Belgian coach Marc Brys was persistently undermined by the Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT) and its president, Samuel Eto’o, while rumors of feuds and leadership issues in the den of the Indomitable Lions were constant.

With massive financial benefits from a potential qualification evaporated along with poor performances, all involved are being blamed. Cameroonian goalkeeping legend Joseph-Antoine Bell identified a fractured administration and leadership as the primary culprit in comments recorded by Camfoot:

“After the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, there was a change of coach. Rigobert Song left, and Marc Brys was chosen, but not by the federation president, which he clearly didn’t take well. You know the rest… So, after operating in this climate for so long, it’s no surprise that things eventually fell apart. When players come to the national team knowing they’ll not only have to face another team, but also fight an internal battle, it can only end badly. And that’s what happened on Thursday in Rabat. There’s a conflict between the federation and the Ministry of Sports; the players didn’t ask for any of this, and they find themselves in the middle of a problem that’s beyond them. The consequences shouldn’t come as a surprise.”

But even with the feud between FECAFOOT and the Cameroon government’s Ministry of Sports and Physical Education (MINSEP), responsible for the hiring of Brys, it appears that leadership division among the players in the changing room was also one of the main culprits.

Brys appointed goalkeeper André Onana as the captain during the Lions’ final matches from the group stage, leading to rumors of a meeting between the coach and senior players that erupted into disagreement. This carried on after Thursday’s defeat with a few players rumored to have contacted MINSEP to express their displeasure with the leadership of Eto’o.

With the disaster of missing out for the World Cup now in full sight, the fallout looks set to only intensify. FECAFOOT has a General Assembly scheduled at the end of the month with an election upcoming and this fractured relationship between FECAFOOT and MINSEP is likely to keep the unsightly politics of Cameroonian football in full display.

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