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
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