NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 9 — The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has unveiled an ambitious nationwide scouting project targeting under-14 players, marking the beginning of what federation president Hussein Mohammed has called “a historic and transformative shift” in Kenya’s youth football development.
The new initiative, launched in partnership with the internationally recognised Acakoro Football Academy, aims to assemble an elite cohort of young footballers who will form the backbone of Kenya’s future Under-15 and Under-17 national teams, with the ultimate goal of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Qatar.
Beginning this month, FKF and Acakoro will conduct joint scouting across five regions, with the most promising talents earning full scholarships to join Acakoro’s state-of-the-art residential high-performance centre in Homa Bay.
The academy, sitting on 25 acres, will provide a rare combination of football excellence and CBC-aligned formal education.
Speaking during the unveiling, FKF President Hussein Mohammed admitted the federation has been dissatisfied with recent performances of the youth national teams, but emphasised that the new programme marks a turning point.
“Kenya has world-class talent. What has been missing are proper structures and long-term development pathways. Today, through this MoU with Acakoro, we begin bridging that gap in a way that is both historic and transformative,” he said.
Mohammed explained that the residential model is inspired by global football academies and is designed to offer more than just training sessions.
“This is not simply a camp, it is a system, a structure, and a culture of excellence. The objective is clear: to prepare a cohesive Kenyan team capable of qualifying for and competing at the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2027,” he said.
Players selected from the five-region scouting programme will live, learn, and train at Acakoro under an environment that integrates elite coaching, sports science, data analytics, structured routines, character development, and seamless progression into Kenya’s national youth pathway from Under-15 to Under-17.
Acakoro Director Lukas Mott, whose academy is internationally celebrated for producing disciplined and competitive young players, was present at the ceremony, alongside Harambee Stars legend and FKF Vice President Macdonald Mariga, who praised the initiative as the long-awaited solution to Kenya’s developmental gaps.
The partnership, Mohammed added, will also serve as a blueprint for future high-performance academies across the country, anchoring a long-term plan to rebuild Kenya’s youth football structures from the ground up.
With Kenya eyeing a historic qualification for the 2027 Under-17 World Cup, the federation believes the journey begins now, through early talent identification, professional training environments, and a commitment to nurturing the next generation.
