The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Acakoro Football Academy, launching Kenya’s first fully residential high-performance system dedicated to youth national team development.
The partnership is designed to address long standing gaps in youth football structures by creating a coordinated, long-term pathway for talented young players across the country.
Beginning December 2025, FKF and Acakoro will jointly scout the best 2011 born players across five regions, with the top performers earning full scholarships to join a comprehensive residential programme at Acakoro’s 25-acre Academy in Homa Bay.
The programme integrates CBC aligned education, elite football instruction, sports science, modern analytics, and holistic personal development, providing a structured high-performance environment, tailored to international standards.
Selected players will be integrated directly into FKF’s U15 to U17 national team pathway, forming the foundation of a cohesive squad preparing for the FIFA U17 World Cup 2027 in Qatar.
FKF President, Hussein Mohammed, while addressing media at a Nairobi hotel, Tuesday, said the partnership reflects the Federation’s commitment to strengthening youth structures, while acknowledging the gaps that have hindered past progress.
Mohammed said the 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.
“Kenya has world-class talent. What we have lacked is a structured, long-term development pathway. We have openly admitted that the performance of our youth national teams has not met expectations and addressing this requires more than words,” he said.
He noted that the initiative comes as the Federation marks one year of steady progress, including successfully hosting CHAN 2024, securing the 10-year SportPesa Premier League sponsorship, restoring governance credibility, rebuilding the relationship with FIFA, reviving youth participation, and enhancing collaboration with government and private partners.
The FKF President observed that 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 forms a key part of the structures we are building to secure long-term success,” he added.
Acakoro Director, Lukas Mott, welcomed the agreement, emphasising its potential to transform youth development in Kenya.
He said the partnership unlocks Kenya’s football potential and the dream of seeing Kenya at the U17 World Cup is now a coordinated national effort.
“By combining education, elite training, and national structures, we are finally giving our young players a real chance to reach the world stage,” he said.
FKF Vice President, Macdonald Mariga, urged football academies to partner with the Federation in advancing youth football in the country and championing sustainable football growth.
Under the MoU, Acakoro will provide daily performance training, sports science support, technical expertise, and a safe residential environment.
FKF will oversee the national pathway, ensuring a consistent and structured progression from the U15s to the U17s.
The partnership is expected to serve as a blueprint for future youth academies, demonstrating how national structures and elite development programmes can work together to deliver sustainable football growth.
by Anita Omwenga
