Headline News

16, December 2025

Fifa brings in new £45 ticket for 2026 World Cup ⁰

Fifa has introduced a small number of “more affordable” $60 (£45) tickets for all 104 matches at the 2026 World Cup following criticism of its pricing structure for the tournament.

World football’s governing body says the new ticket price will be available to a certain number of “loyal fans” of the countries that have qualified for the World Cup.

A Fifa official close to discussions said: “We have listened to feedback and this new category is the right thing to do” – adding the decision was unanimous.

Under the previous pricing structure, which the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) call “scandalous”, it would have cost a fan more than £5,000 to follow England at every match to the final.

The £45 ticket falls in the ‘supporter entry tier’, the lowest priced category, and will make up 10% of the allocation for each football association whose team is taking part in a competition being hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.

For England and Scotland, this will mean about 400 tickets will be available for £45 for their group matches.

Tom Greatrex, chair of the FSA, called Tuesday’s announcement a “hollow gesture” adding: “What sounds like a climbdown is a cynical attempt to deflect attention while continuing to rip fans off.”

Football Supporters Europe (FSE) said that while it welcomed “Fifa’s seeming recognition of the damage its original plans were to cause, the revisions do not go far enough to reconcile”.

Meetings took place over the weekend and early this week with senior officials in Doha, Qatar, where initial feedback on pricing was discussed.

Having raised fans’ concerns over the cost of tickets with Fifa’s hierarchy before the meeting in Doha, English Football Association insiders privately see the announcement as a step in the right direction.

“The entry tier tickets will be allocated specifically to supporters of qualified teams, with the selection and distribution process managed individually by the participating member associations (PMAs),” said a Fifa statement.

“Each PMA will define its own eligibility criteria and application process. They are requested to ensure that these tickets are specifically allocated to loyal fans who are closely connected to their national teams.

“In total, 50% of each PMA allocation will fall within the most affordable range, namely supporter value tier (40%) and the supporter entry tier (10%). The remaining allocation is split evenly between the supporter standard tier and the supporter premier tier.”

Source: BBC

15, December 2025

President Sisiku Ayuk Tabe, top aides to appear before the Supreme Court ⁰

Cameroon is facing renewed political uncertainty weeks after its presidential election, amid reports of mass arrests, deaths linked to protests and mounting concerns over the use of military courts.

Rights groups and local observers say more than a thousand people have been detained following post-election demonstrations across the country. Several fatalities have been reported, while dozens of those arrested have been brought before military tribunals, a move that has drawn criticism from civil society and legal experts.

The unrest comes as attention turns once again to the long-running Anglophone crisis. Ambazonian separatist leader Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe and nine other activists, who have been serving life sentences since 2019, are expected to appear before the Supreme Court on 18 December. Their case has reignited debate over due process, human rights and the handling of political dissent in Cameroon.

The men were convicted on charges including terrorism and secession after being arrested abroad and extradited to Cameroon, a process that has itself been widely contested. Their supporters argue that the sentences reflect a broader pattern of repression rather than a genuine effort to resolve the conflict in the country’s English-speaking regions.

Yaoundé-based political analyst Paul Anchang said the timing of the Supreme Court hearing, set against the backdrop of post-election unrest, highlights the depth of Cameroon’s political challenges.

“This is not simply a question of election-related violence,” Anchang said. “It points to a deeper crisis of governance, where political disagreements are increasingly addressed through arrests and military justice instead of dialogue.”

He warned that continued reliance on security measures risks further destabilising the country.

“Without a serious commitment to political engagement, both on electoral issues and the Anglophone question, tensions are likely to persist,” he added. “Cameroon needs inclusive solutions if it is to move away from this cycle of crisis.”

Source: ChannelAfrica

15, December 2025

Pressure mounts on Biya as speculation grows over possible replacement of Ngute ⁰

As political pressure continues to mount on President Paul Biya, speculation is increasing within political circles that Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute could be replaced as part of a broader strategic recalibration at the executive level.

Observers note that Cameroon is facing a convergence of challenges, including economic strain, ongoing security concerns in parts of the country, and rising social discontent. In this context, attention has turned to the Office of the Prime Minister, which some analysts view as a potential focal point for political adjustment without directly reshaping the presidency.

Prime Minister Ngute, who has been in office since January 2019, has overseen government action during a particularly demanding period, including the management of the Anglophone crisis and efforts to stabilize the economy. However, critics argue that progress on key reforms has been slow, fueling internal and public calls for renewed leadership and a more assertive policy direction.

Sources close to the ruling establishment suggest that any potential replacement would be aimed at signaling responsiveness to domestic and international pressure, while preserving continuity within the governing system. Others caution that changes at the prime ministerial level may have limited impact unless accompanied by deeper structural reforms.

For now, no official statement has been made by the presidency, and Prime Minister Ngute continues to carry out his duties. Nonetheless, the growing intensity of political debate suggests that a cabinet reshuffle, including a possible change at the premiership, remains a scenario being closely watched in the weeks and months ahead.

By Chi Prudence Asong

15, December 2025

2025 is the year when Biya’s long rule finally lost its last convincing justification ⁰

By any reasonable measure, 2025 stands out as the bleakest year of President Paul Biya’s long tenure. After decades in office, the familiar arguments of stability and experience no longer convince a population grappling with deepening hardship, political fatigue, and a growing sense that the country is simply treading water while the rest of the world moves on.

Economically, the social contract has frayed. Rising living costs, stubborn youth unemployment, and declining purchasing power have turned everyday survival into a political issue. For many Cameroonians, the promise that patience would one day yield prosperity has worn thin. What makes 2025 particularly damning is not just the persistence of these problems, but the absence of a credible, energizing response from the presidency. The state appears reactive rather than visionary, content to manage decline instead of charting renewal.

Politically, 2025 has exposed the limits of a system built around one man. Institutions feel weak, public trust is eroded, and the distance between rulers and ruled has widened. Calls for reform—electoral, constitutional, and administrative—are louder and more mainstream than ever. Yet the government’s answers have been predictable: cautious statements, cosmetic adjustments, and a reliance on security-first thinking. This has only reinforced the perception of a leadership out of ideas.

Social cohesion has also suffered. Long-running crises, particularly in marginalized regions, continue without durable solutions. Dialogue feels episodic, not sincere; peace feels managed, not built. In 2025, the cost of this approach is more visible than ever: frustration has hardened into cynicism, and cynicism into disengagement. A country cannot thrive when large segments of its population feel unheard and unseen.

Perhaps most damaging is the symbolic weight of 2025. After more than four decades in power, President Biya now embodies continuity without progress. What once passed for experience now looks like inertia. The generational gap between the leadership and the majority of citizens has become impossible to ignore, and with it the sense that Cameroon’s future is being postponed indefinitely.

This is why 2025 feels different—and worse. It is not marked by a single catastrophic event, but by the accumulation of unresolved failures and missed opportunities. It is the year when endurance stopped being admirable and started looking like stubbornness. History may well record 2025 as the moment when President Biya’s long rule finally lost its last convincing justification.

By Rita Akana

Yaoundé Bureau Chief

Cameroon Concord News Group

15, December 2025

Armed Mbororo tribesmen killed 8 in Southern Cameroons’ new war ⁰

At least eight people were killed and several others injured in communal clashes in Cameroon’s restive Anglophone region of Northwest, security sources said on Saturday.

The clashes erupted early Friday after gunmen suspected to be armed separatist fighters raided Mbororo community, killing three people, a security source in the region said.

Overnight into Saturday, armed Mbororo tribesmen retaliated by attacking Wowo village of Wimbum tribe, killing five people.

“The Mbororo people assumed that people who attacked them were from Wowo village and invaded the village at night. They searched house to house, especially in the palace, shooting people who resisted. Five people were killed, all of them men,” Festus Njeba, one of the prominent leaders of Wimbum tribe said.

“Our people are in pain. These killings have to stop. Our people must not bear the consequences of an armed struggle,” he added.

Source: Xinhuanet

12, December 2025

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Atanga Nji Boys abduct 8 people en route to Kumbo ⁰

About eight passengers on a bus were kidnapped by suspected separatist fighters in Cameroon’s Northwest Region, where an armed separatist conflict is ongoing, security sources said Thursday night.

The bus left the regional capital Bamenda on Thursday and was heading to the town of Kumbo when it was intercepted by gunmen.

“The separatist terrorists kidnapped the passengers when the bus was crossing the locality of Bamessing. They took them into the bush and started demanding a huge ransom. We only learned about the abduction late Thursday,” a security source in the region said.

Movement along the highway has been halted, and a search operation for the hostages has been launched, according to local authorities.

Kidnappings for ransom are common in Cameroon’s English-speaking Northwest and Southwest regions where separatists have been clashing with government forces since 2017 seeking to establish a new nation.

Source: Xinhuanet

12, December 2025

Francofools and the Indomitable Lions: Two squads named for AFCON ⁰

Uncertainty reigns as Cameroon prepare to head into the AFCON, which begins in just 10 days on December 21 in host nation Morocco. Cameroon see their campaign begin three days later on December 24 against Gabon, and there could be much controversy yet to come as Eto’o and Brys continue their public feud.

Mail Sport have shed light on the situation in Cameroon, where Eto’o recently marked four years as president of the Football Federation.

The former Barcelona and Chelsea striker has reportedly told the Belgian Brys that he has been relieved of his duties as manager of Cameroon, but he is reportedly ‘refusing the sack’ amidst claims that he has not been officially fired and remains under contract with the nation’s Ministry of Sport until December 2026.

He intends to lead the nation into the tournament, despite the fact that Eto’o has since appointed David Pagou as his replacement. The Cameroonian FA released their 28-man squad for the tournament with Pagou as manager on 1 December, omitting star names such as Andre Onana, ex-Bayern Munich striker Eric Choupo-Moting and Vincent Aboubakar – the latter of whom is just 12 goals away from surpassing Eto’o’s all-time goalscoring record for Cameroon.

Brys has suggested that this decision was, therefore, calculated by Eto’o, and has named his own conflicting squad for the upcoming tournament.

Brys hits out at ‘narcissistic’ Eto’o

“From the very first minute, he insulted me, and I reacted. I was too much of a competitor for him.”

Referencing the AFCON squad that excluded Onana, Choupo-Moting and Aboubakar, he added: “Eto’o had left key players and leaders out of the squad. Because, of course, he had made that selection.

“How can you go to the Africa Cup of Nations without a world-class goalkeeper? Or without Aboubakar? It’s unbelievable, but actually, it doesn’t surprise me. It’s coming from someone who is narcissistic and thinks he’s the best.

“As long as there is no signed note from the Presidency of the Republic appointing David Pagou as the coach of the Indomitable Lions, in the eyes of the State of Cameroon, Mr. Marc Brys remains. This is not up for discussion, and it has been this way in Cameroon for at least 30 years.”

Cameroon’s international struggles go beyond the feud between the high-profile pair, as the Indomitable Lions recently failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, finishing below first-time qualifiers Cape Verde in Group D and then losing out to DR Congo in the CAF play-off semi-final to see their failure to qualify confirmed.

Eto’o himself has seen previous controversy during his time as president of the nation’s Football Federation. He was handed a six-month ban from attending national team matches by FIFA in 2024, after breaching two articles of the governing body’s disciplinary code. A FIFA statement confirmed the disciplinary breaches occurred around a FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup last-16 match between Brazil and Cameroon. Eto’o has also faced accusations of corruption and electoral fraud.

Eto’o and Brys have ‘butted heads’ throughout the pair’s tenure in charge, the Belgian threatening to quit last year after his assistant Joachim Munanga was left out of the federation’s official matchday list by Eto’o, who he believed did this to undermine his authority.

Source: Goal.com

12, December 2025

FIFA accused of ‘monumental betrayal’ over latest World Cup 2026 tickets ⁰

Soccer fans have accused FIFA of a “monumental betrayal” after latest prices for World Cup tickets began to circulate on Thursday.

The governing body allocates 8% of tickets to national associations for games involving their team to sell to the most loyal fans.

And a list published by the German soccer federation revealed prices ranged from $180-$700 for varying group stage games. The lowest price for the final was $4,185 and the highest was $8,680.

Those group-stage prices are very different from FIFA’s claims of $60 tickets being available, while the target from United States soccer officials when bidding for the tournament seven years ago was to offer hundreds of thousands of $21 seats across the opening phase of games.

Fan organisation Football Supporters Europe (FSE) described the current prices as “extortionate”.

“This is a monumental betrayal of the tradition of the World Cup, ignoring the contribution of supporters to the spectacle it is,” it said in a statement.

The English Football Association shared pricing information with the England Supporters Travel Club (ESTC) on Thursday evening, which showed that if a fan bought a ticket for every game through to the final it would cost just over $7,000.

FIFA said in September that tickets released through its website would initially range from $60 for group-stage matches to $6,730 for the final. But those prices are subject to change as it adopts dynamic pricing for the first time at the World Cup.

FIFA tickets are available in four categories, with the best seats in Category 1.

In the price list published by the German federation, there were only three categories.

The lowest priced ticket was $180 for Germany’s opening group game against Curacao in Houston. The lowest price for the semifinal was $920 rising to $1,125.

The FSE called on FIFA to immediately halt ticket sales via national associations “until a solution that respects the tradition, universality, and cultural significance of the World Cup is found”.

FIFA launched its third phase of widespread ticket sales Thursday, with fans now able to apply for specific matches for the first time through its “Random Selection Draw”.

Following last week’s draw for the 2026 tournament, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, an updated schedule has been published.

That means fans know when and where the likes of Lionel Messi and Argentina will play. Previous ticket ballots were blind as the qualification period had not even been completed and the draw was yet to take place.

Now participating nations have been placed in groups, with their paths through the tournament determined. For instance, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could go on to meet in the quarterfinals in Kansas City if both Argentina and Portugal top their respective groups.

Not that fans are guaranteed to get tickets to the games they apply for.

The draw opened December 11 at 11am ET (1600 GMT) and closes January 13, 2026.

FIFA says ticket applications can be made at any point during this window and the timing of entry will not impact the chances of success. Fans can apply via FIFA’s website for a maximum of four tickets per household per match and a maximum of 40 tickets throughout the tournament.

Fans will need a FIFA ID to apply for tickets and can pick which matches and which pricing category they want to apply for.

Successful applicants will be notified by email in February and charged automatically.

The last time the US hosted the World Cup in 1994 prices ranged from $25 to $475. In Qatar in 2022 prices ranged from around $70 to $1,600 when ticket details were announced.

Tickets for the final at MetLife Stadium on July 19 are already going for in excess of $11,000 on secondary resale sites.

For this tournament FIFA has also set up its own resale platform where it charges a 15% fee based on the total resale price.

FIFA said that closer to the tournament any remaining tickets will go on general sale on a first-come, first-served basis.

It did not reveal a time frame for the release of those remaining tickets.

Source: AP

12, December 2025

Unity Palace: Ngoh Ngoh will remain a key figure in the new Biya government ⁰

President Biya has reportedly made a decision regarding the future of his powerful Secretary General Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh.

According to intelligence sources inside the Unity Palace, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh has been assured by the 92-year-old dictator that he will be reappointed in the next government.

In the nation’s capital, discussions are going on to form a new government following Biya’s stolen victory in the presidential election on 12 October 2025.

According to a highly placed government official who spoke to Cameroon Intelligence Report but sued for anonymity, there is no longer any ambiguity about Ngoh Ngoh’s future involvement.

On Sunday 7 December, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh had a lengthy meeting with Biya, who renewed his confidence in him.

Ngoh Ngoh, one of the closest and most enduring associates of the butcher in Yaoundé, has been a central figure in the power structure for well over a decade. His role as Secretary General at the Presidency with the rank of Minister of State places him at the heart of executive coordination, including the flow of information and decision-making between the presidency and other arms of government.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai with files from Rita Akana in Yaoundé

11, December 2025

Cameroon’s mobile money industry accelerates, topping CFA135.84bn ⁰

Cameroon’s mobile financial services market is expanding rapidly, according to the 2024 Annual Observatory of the Electronic Communications Market. Services offered by MTN Mobile Money Corporation and Orange Money Cameroon have become a core driver of financial inclusion, giving millions access to a digital wallet even without a traditional bank account.

MTN and Orange record strong revenue and transaction growth

In 2024, MTN Mobile Money Corporation generated CFA70.2 billion in revenue, up from CFA55.1 billion in 2023, a rise of more than 27%. Orange Money Cameroon reported CFA65 billion over the same period. With no 2023 reference data available, this performance is compared with CFA44.5 billion recorded in 2022, reflecting the operator’s growing momentum in the mobile financial services market.

Transaction activity also increased sharply. Estimated transaction volumes—measured through SMS sent—grew from 1,237,402,354 in 2023 to 1,822,959,071 in 2024, a 47.3% jump. The trend highlights rising adoption of mobile channels for payments and money transfers.

The sector’s expansion is reinforced by an increase in active subscriptions. In 2024, MTN and Orange counted 11.429 million active mobile money subscriptions, adding 772,141 new users compared with 2023. Today, 38.84% of all subscribers across both networks hold an electronic mobile account, underscoring the growing role of mobile money in everyday life and its contribution to financial inclusion.

Sector revenue accelerates sharply

Overall, total mobile money revenue reached CFA135.84 billion in 2024, representing a 146.40% increase from the previous year. The sharp rise is mainly due to the inclusion of Orange Money Cameroon’s revenue in the 2024 data, offering a more complete picture of the segment’s economic weight.

The rapid expansion of mobile money, combined with ongoing network coverage improvements by MTN Cameroon and Orange Cameroon, is creating new opportunities for digital financial services and payment solutions. The expected arrival of new entrants such as Wave and Blue Money could intensify competition and further stimulate market growth.

These trends point to a sector that is heading toward restructuring and continued expansion, with major implications for competitiveness, regulation, and business models across the industry.

Source: Business in Cameroon