The management of PWD football club Bamenda has strongly condemned the relocation of their upcoming Elite One Championship match against Aigle Royal du Moungo from the Bamenda Municipal Stadium to the Mbouda Sports Arena.
In a press release, the club’s president, Abunde Pascal, expressed disappointment over the move.
He stated that, despite meeting all requirements of the Cameroon Football Federation (FECAFOOT) to designate Bamenda as their home ground, an influential stakeholder has been working to prevent top-tier football from taking place in the city.
The club emphasized that, following FECAFOOT’s directive of January 10, 2025, they officially chose the Bamenda Municipal Stadium as their home venue in a letter dated January 15, 2025.
Since then, management, fans, and some authorities have made concerted efforts to prepare the stadium for the long-awaited return of Elite One football to Bamenda on February 2, 2025.
Football stakeholder Obstructing Football in Bamenda
Despite preparing the ground to play its games at home, PWD Bamenda claims that a key football stakeholder in the region is obstructing the process.
This unnamed football stakeholder is reportedly citing security concerns and an alleged stadium injunction.
PWD views these reasons as baseless, noting that an Elite One match successfully played in Bamenda on January 26, 2025, without incident, alongside ongoing Elite Two fixtures.
“The sacrifices our football-loving fans have made over the years to support the club, often traveling outside the region to watch matches, are being ignored. This decision is unjust and undermines the passion of our supporters,” the statement read.
The controversy surrounding the venue change has sparked outrage among supporters, who were eager to welcome their team back to its home ground after three years.
“This is heart breaking, I know the fourth vice president of FECAFOOT is behind this confusion. We need our teams to play at home,” said one of the fans.
The football community in Bamenda awaits further developments on the fate of PWD’s home matches.
