The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Acakoro Football Academy to establish a fully residential high-performance system dedicated to youth national team development on Tuesday, December 09.
The partnership aims to fix long-standing gaps in Kenya’s youth football pipeline by creating a coordinated, long-term pathway for elite young talent nationwide.
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Starting December 2025, FKF and Acakoro will jointly scout the top 2011-born players across five regions, with the standouts earning full scholarships into Acakoro’s comprehensive residential programme at the academy’s 25-acre facility in Homa Bay.
The initiative blends CBC-aligned education with elite football training, sports science, modern analytics, and holistic personal development, all within a high-performance environment built to international standards.
Graduates will feed directly into FKF’s U15–U17 national team pathway, forming the core of a long-term project targeting the FIFA U17 World Cup 2027 in Qatar.
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FKF President Hussein Mohammed said the deal reflects the federation’s renewed commitment to rebuilding Kenya’s youth structures and correcting historical shortcomings.
“Kenya has world-class talent. What we have lacked is a structured, long-term development pathway,” he said. “This partnership with Acakoro creates the country’s first residential high-performance system for youth football, built on global best practice and designed to prepare a team capable of competing at the FIFA U17 World Cup in 2027.”
He highlighted the progress FKF has made over the past year, from hosting CHAN 2024 and securing the 10-year SportPesa Premier League sponsorship to restoring governance credibility, reviving youth participation, and strengthening relationships with FIFA, government, and private partners.
“Kenyan football is moving forward — not perfectly, and not as fast as we all want, but positively, deliberately, and with purpose. Much more remains to be done, and this partnership is a key step toward long-term success.”
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Acakoro Director Lukas Mott praised the MoU, calling it a transformational moment for Kenyan youth football.
“This partnership unlocks Kenya’s football potential. By combining education, elite training, and national structures, we are finally giving our young players a real chance to reach the world stage. The dream of seeing Kenya at the U17 World Cup is now a coordinated national effort.”
Under the agreement, Acakoro will deliver daily high-performance training, sports science support, technical expertise, and a safe residential environment. FKF will manage the national team pathway, ensuring smooth progression from U15 to U17.
The partnership is expected to become a model for future academies, illustrating how national structures and elite development systems can work together to drive sustainable football growth in Kenya.
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