Mariga sends partnership message to Kenyan football academies

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Vice President and Youth Committee Chair Macdonald Mariga has urged structured football academies across Kenya to collaborate with the federation to strengthen the country’s youth development pathways.

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His call follows the launch of a groundbreaking partnership between FKF and Acakoro Football Academy, unveiled in Nairobi on Tuesday afternoon.

Speaking during the event, Mariga hailed the initiative as a major milestone for Kenyan football and encouraged other talent development centres to follow suit.

“As chairman of the youth committee, I am delighted about this partnership. I want to urge other structured academies to come on board and partner with FKF so that we can give our youth a real sporting chance.

When we work together, we can identify and nurture talent that will become great in their careers and lift our nation,” Mariga said.

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The FKF–Acakoro collaboration, announced by FKF president Hussein Mohammed, introduces a residential high-performance programme for youth footballers.

Starting this month, the federation and the academy will jointly scout players born in 2011 and below across five regions. The top talents will receive full scholarships to join Acakoro’s elite residential programme in Homa Bay.

The initiative combines CBC-aligned education, sports science, modern analytics, technical coaching, and structured routines. It is designed to develop a cohesive Kenyan squad capable of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar.

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Mariga, the only Kenyan player to win the UEFA Champions League, believes that a structured youth program for players is the way and called on more academies to come on board.

“This partnership is great for the future of football in our country. Our young players need proper systems, and for that, we need more academies to join hands with us.

The future stars of Kenya are out there; we just need to find them, develop them, and give them pathways to succeed,” he added.

Under the two-year agreement commencing December 2025, FKF and Acakoro will identify the best 2011-born players nationwide.

The top performers will earn full scholarships to Acakoro’s 25-acre academy, where successful players will be integrated into Kenya’s U17 and U20 national teams, forming the core squad targeted for the 2027 FIFA U17 World Cup.

The partnership is seen by FKF as a strategic initiative to establish sustainable, long-term structures that will develop Kenyan football from the grassroots and ensure continuity beyond any single administration.

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