Kenya has taken a strategic step toward strengthening its youth football development after the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) entered into a formal partnership with Acakoro to establish the country’s first residential high-performance academy.
The initiative, announced by FKF president Hussein Mohamed through a statement on X, positions Homa Bay County as the new hub for elite youth training.
Unlike previous programmes that relied heavily on short-term training camps or regional centres with limited resources, the new system is designed as a long-term residential model.
According to Mohamed, talented players identified through a nationwide scouting network will receive full scholarships to join Acakoro’s 25-acre facility, which integrates CBC-aligned education, advanced coaching, and sports science.
He said the initiative reflects FKF’s plans to create a structured pathway from grassroots football to the senior national team.
Youth football development has been a persistent challenge in Kenya, partly due to inconsistent investment and limited coordination among county leagues, schools, and private academies.
Efforts by past administrations to professionalise youth structures often stalled, including reforms that followed the 2016 FKF elections and periodic attempts to revive national youth leagues.
Officials now hope the new high-performance environment will provide continuity and reduce the drop-off of promising players as they progress through different stages of the game.
In his announcement, Mohamed stated that the federation’s technical department is “fully aligned” with the new system and will oversee the transition from youth levels to the Under-17 national team.
He said the programme is geared toward preparing a competitive squad for the 2027 FIFA U17 World Cup, an event Kenya has yet to qualify for since its inception.
The partnership also introduces modern analytics and performance monitoring, tools rarely available in previous youth initiatives.
Acakoro, which began as a community-based youth project, has developed a reputation for nurturing young athletes from under-resourced areas. Its expanded role under the MoU gives it a national mandate, supported by FKF’s administrative framework and scouting structures.
The academy’s residential model is expected to host selected players from across all regions, reflecting a national rather than county-based approach.
FKF is expected to release further guidelines on scouting timelines, selection criteria, and the academy’s operational rollout.
The federation says the partnership marks the beginning of a long-term project aimed at strengthening Kenya’s international competitiveness and laying a stable foundation for future generations of footballers