By kick442.com Editorial crew
It’s been over three months since the 2023–24 MTN Elite One and Elite Two seasons ended — and yet, there’s no word on when Cameroon’s domestic football will resume.
The Elite One wrapped up on June 9, while Elite Two concluded on July 7. Since then, clubs, players, and supporters have waited in vain for clarity. The Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) and its Transitional Technical Football Committee (CTFP) — the body currently managing the leagues — have both remained tight-lipped about when the next season will begin.
Silence Amid Deadlines
What makes the situation even more puzzling is that clubs were given strict affiliation and registration deadlines, with October 4 set as the final date for player registration. Yet the authorities have offered no calendar, no fixture list, and no official start date.
In essence, clubs have been forced to prepare in the dark — investing scarce resources in team building, training, and logistics without knowing when, or even if, the competition will resume this year.
A Recurring Crisis
This is not a one-off episode. In recent years, Cameroon’s domestic leagues have been plagued by repeated delays and long interruptions, often spending more time on pause than in play. What should be a continuous football season has become a cycle of uncertainty, administrative reshuffling, and public frustration.
With FECAFOOT elections due next month, and the Indomitable Lions already preparing for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, the risk is clear: domestic football will once again be pushed to the margins.
Even under an optimistic scenario — a December kickoff — the league would play only a few match days before another two-month break for AFCON, which runs from mid-December to late January. That would mean a likely full resumption no earlier than February or March 2026, extending the current hiatus to eight months or more.
The Cost of Inaction
The impact is severe. Prolonged inactivity drains the game at every level. Players lose match sharpness, clubs lose sponsorship and fan interest, and local stadiums lose life. The momentum built by the few professionally run clubs is routinely undone by the stop-start nature of the competition.
Sponsors and partners, already cautious, are unlikely to commit to a product lacking consistency and visibility. For young players hoping to catch the eye of scouts, months without competitive football can be career-defining setbacks.
A Leadership Test for FECAFOOT
The situation places renewed scrutiny on Samuel Eto’o Fils, the president of FECAFOOT, who is seeking a second mandate in the upcoming elections. His tenure has been marked by both ambition and turbulence — but the ongoing silence around the league calendar risks undermining one of football’s most fundamental responsibilities: ensuring players have a platform to play.
Under the watch of CTFP Secretary General Faustin Blaise Mbida, the transitional committee was expected to stabilize the domestic championships after years of confusion. Instead, the current impasse has only deepened concerns about governance and priorities.
Can Development Wait This Long?
The uncomfortable question remains: can Cameroon truly build a competitive football ecosystem with longer breaks than playing periods?
The national team continues to shine on the continental stage, but without a stable domestic base, the pipeline of future stars — the next Song, Aboubakar, or Onana — will inevitably dry up.
If Cameroon’s football authorities want to match their ambitions with action, they must restore the integrity of the calendar, guarantee regular competition, and treat the league with the same urgency they devote to elections and national team affairs.
Until then, fans wait, clubs wait — and the game itself stands still.
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