The threat of the Cameroon FA having to suspend its national league has diminished after it found a new sponsor.

The mobile phone company MTN has agreed a two-year sponsorship deal worth 600 million CFA (�565,000) with Fecafoot.

It is the biggest deal the FA has ever negotiated, and much of the money will be distributed among the 16 division one teams.

It brings to an end a period of huge uncertainty.

Players from Kumbo Strikers had promised to go on strike because they were owed pay and bonuses.

And Cintra Yaounde were on the verge of collapse after the suspension of their sponsorship contract with the Spanish company Constellacio Espotiva.

Development

Apart from the big three clubs of Coton Sport Garoua, Canon Yaounde and Union Douala, the rest are run on financial contributions from members.

Although this money can be substantial in some years, it is not guaranteed.

Many clubs are only semi-professional and players' pay is often non-existent.

In receiving the first instalment of 56 million CFA, the president of the association of division one clubs, Antoine Essomba Eyenga, urged other companies to follow MTN's example and support football.

Fecafoot president, Iya Mohamed said he was glad that "MTN had accepted to help us develop the game".

As well as subsidising the national league, Fecafoot says the sponsorship money will be used to develop youth football, finance referees and pay for administration.