Fecafoot orders clubs to find new home playgrounds, presidents protest
Some club presidents are displeased with Fecafoot’s latest directive, which requires all teams to select their own venues for home games. The move comes amid Fecafoot’s struggles to settle outstanding bills set by the National Office in Charge of Football Infrastructure, ONIES to host games.
Ahmadou Tala, president of Racing of Bafoussam, expressed his dissatisfaction with the initiative. “The president of the Republic built stadiums for the growth of football, but now we’re being forced to play in remote areas. It’s not healthy for the sport,” he said.
Tala also pointed out that the national office responsible for football infrastructure, ONIES has created a hurdle by setting exorbitant rental prices for stadiums.
According to him, it has made it challenging for teams to secure venues for their home game. In fact, the president’s own team (Racing ) was deterred by the high costs when attempting to rent a stadium. A similar situation unfolded with Canon of Yaounde, who managed to rent the Ngoa-Ekelle stadium only once.
President Tala further lamented that the involvement of ONIES has complicated the process, stating that it was previously much simpler. “Before ONIES came into the picture, things were easier, but now it’s very difficult because ONIES has made it that way,” he said.
Meanwhile, Norbert Nya, president of Fauve Azur and Secretary-General of the Association of Elite Clubs, expressed concerns that the situation could negatively impact the championship. He emphasized that he would only comply with the new arrangements if they align with the governing rules of the championship.
The stadium conundrum has been a persistent challenge for teams in Cameroon, dating back to the 2024 Cameroon Cup preliminaries.
A recent high-profile match between Coton Sport and Canon of Yaounde highlighted the issue, as the game was played at the Omnisports Annex One Stadium, which was inadequate for the large crowd.
