Cameroon League Shaken by Referee Suspensions and Match-Fixing Investigation from Day One

By Awambeng Fuh

Journalist kick442.com – Cameroon

The 2025–2026 MTN Elite One season has been thrown into early turmoil after the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) provisionally suspended four match officials and a referees’ inspector over controversial decisions in a weekend fixture.

In a statement released on Monday and signed by Secretary General Isaac Noé, FECAFOOT said the sanctions concern the officiating team from the match between Victoria United and PWD of Bamenda, played on Sunday at the Centenary Stadium in Limbe during the opening round of the championship. The federation described the encounter as having been marred by “manifestly questionable” refereeing decisions.

The officials have been suspended from all football-related activities pending the conclusion of ongoing disciplinary proceedings, the statement added.

In a separate development, FECAFOOT also announced the opening of an administrative investigation into another first-round match between Dynamo of Douala and AS Fortuna, citing “serious suspicions of manipulation.”

According to the federation, the competent commission has been instructed to fully clarify the circumstances surrounding the match and to propose appropriate sanctions should any wrongdoing be established, in line with existing regulations.

Reaffirming its commitment to integrity and fair play, FECAFOOT stressed that transparency and respect for the rules remain fundamental to the development of football in Cameroon.

The federation reiterates that only what happens on the pitch should determine the outcome of matches,” the statement concluded.

However, despite the intervention of football’s world governing body, FIFA, in recent years to improve governance and restore credibility within Cameroon football, many keen followers of the local game remain skeptical.

Several observers argue that past investigations announced by the federation have rarely produced concrete results or meaningful sanctions. Some go further to claim that the system itself is compromised, insisting that those tasked with enforcing reforms are part of the very structures and practices that have undermined the sport.

For these critics, the latest suspensions and probe are simply another chapter in a long-running crisis that has rocked Cameroon football in recent years, often without lasting consequences.