NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 9 — Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Vice President and Youth Committee Chair, Macdonald Mariga, has called on structured football academies across the country to partner with the federation in building a stronger youth development pathway.
This follows after the launch of a groundbreaking collaboration between FKF and Acakoro Football Academy.
Speaking during the unveiling of the partnership in Nairobi on Tuesday afternoon, Mariga praised the initiative as a turning point for Kenyan football and urged other 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.
The FKF–Acakoro partnership, announced earlier by FKF President Hussein Mohammed, is Kenya’s first-ever residential high-performance programme for youth footballers.
Beginning this month, the federation and the academy will jointly scout players born in 2011 and below across five regions, with top talents set to receive full scholarships to join Acakoro’s elite residential setup in Homa Bay.
The programme blends CBC-aligned education, sports science, modern analytics, technical coaching, and structured routines, aimed at building a cohesive Kenyan squad capable of qualifying for the 2027 FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar.
Mariga, who himself rose through the youth ranks to become one of Kenya’s most accomplished footballers, emphasised that Kenya’s next generation deserves access to structured development systems, not just raw hope.
“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.
His message reinforced the federation’s broader vision, building long-term structures that will outlive administrations and transform Kenyan football from the grassroots upward.
The launch marks the beginning of what is widely seen as a historic shift in Kenya’s youth football development approach.
