Samuel Eto’o’s actions during a FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup match led to sanctions imposed on him on Monday, September 30. Although FIFA did not provide specific details about the incident that resulted in the penalty, Eto’o, who serves as the president of the Cameroon Football Federation, was found to have violated two sections of FIFA’s Disciplinary Code.
He was judged to have breached articles 13 and 14, which deal with misconduct by players and officials. The incident occurred following Cameroon’s 3-1 defeat to Brazil in the Round of 16 on September 11, marking Cameroon’s first appearance in the tournament and a disappointing early exit. After the loss, Cameroon’s head coach Hassan Balla publicly criticized the refereeing.
As part of Eto’o’s six-month ban, he is prohibited from attending any matches involving Cameroon’s national teams, which includes upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.