Ivory Coast became the latest beneficially of the FIFA Forward Fund with the renovation and rehabilitation of the National Technical Centre of the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) in Bingerville, known as the training and operation centre for all Ivorian national teams including the winning team of the AFCON 2023 – the Elephants.
The total cost of the project is valued at over US $ 4.3 Million which will see the construction of 6 buildings and the renovation of an existing one.
Zambia recently benefited from the program with a modern, state-of-the-art bus for the national teams, which aims to address logistical challenges in Zambian football unveiled just ten days into 2025.
The bus, funded under FIFAās Forward Development Programme at $428,187.32 (about K11,991,332), is designed to provide the Zambia national teams with reliable and comfortable transportation for local and international engagements.
At a groundbreaking ceremony which took has taken place in Bingerville last Thursday with the presence of the Prime Minister and Minister of Sports Mr Robert BeugrƩ MambƩ, FIF President Mr Yacine Idriss Diallo, CAF SG Veron Mosengo-Omba and FIFA Deputy Chief Member Associations Director and Regional Director for Africa Gelson Fernandes, The foundation stone was laid.
Ivorian National Teams are set to benefit from a brand-new technical centre which will become a state-of-the-art facility with new buildings, a medical centre, a gym of 400 square meters, a storage building, one building dedicated to hosting teams with 30 rooms, another one will be a food court area and one with meeting rooms and training rooms.
The National Technical Centre project also include the renovation and modernisation the current swimming area for teams.
In total, we are talking about the construction of 6 buildings and the renovation of an existing one for a total investment of USD 4,341,743 (2.6 billion CFA) funded exclusively thanks to the FIFA Forward Program.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino believes this ambitious project will bring dynamism and guarantee a future for football in Cote d Ivoire.
“We are celebrating a historic moment. The laying of the first brick of the renovated national centre of the Ivorian Football Federation. This symbolic act marks the beginning of an ambitious project bringing dynamism and guaranteeing a future for football in Cote d Ivoire,ā Infantino Said.
“Once fully renovated, this centre will not only be a national football centre, but it will also become a real symbol of hope and opportunity, a springboard for young players, coaches and football enthusiasts, which will fly the flag for Cote d Ivoire and the whole of Africa during international competitions. “
On behalf of FIFA, I would like to express our pride in supporting this project demonstrating our ongoing commitment to support the construction of the modern infrastructure required to professionalise football and to bring through a new generation of talented players,” he added.
āThis centre was initially created by my predecessor, Jacques Anouma. At the time, there were ambitions to make it a high-level national centre. Unfortunately, after its construction, it remained somewhat stagnant. When we came in, we ensured it was going to be a strong project, to truly offer full capacities for young people. It is a centre dedicated to the training of both girls and boys. For us, it is an essential tool for the development of elite youth football,” Said Yacine Idriss Diallo, The FIF President.
Part of the officials and guests invited for the ceremony; more than 25 Presidents of African Federations, a strong gesture to highlight the unity of African leaders for football development and to honour CĆ“te dāIvoire amongst them: Alfred Randriamanampisoa (President Madagascar), Samuel Etoāo (President Cameroon), Ibrahim Musa Gusau (President Nigeria), Steven Jarvis Mnuto (2nd Vice President Tanzania & Chairman of the Tanzania Premier League Board) and Mustapha Raji Ishola (PrĆ©sident Liberia) etc.
CĆ“te dāIvoire Football Federation (FIF) President Mr Yacine Idriss DIALLO and his executive committee also invited local authorities, sports personalities including former Senegal international Khalilou Fadiga etc.
FIFA Forward is the largest and biggest sport development programme in the world.
It was created back in 2016 when President Infantino was elected the idea is very simple and clear, to redistribute FIFA’s revenues equally the 211 MAs. The core idea is three-fold: Increase the investment into football development worldwide; Achieve more impact with specific and tailor-made projects; and make sure to have more oversight to ensure that the investment in football develop is transparent, carefully managed and effective.
For Africa itās of course exactly the same from Algeria to Zimbabwe. The five main areas where funds are used are: Infrastructure, Capacity Building, Competitions, National teams & Subventions and there are other specific projects depending on each Federationsā needs. In line with its strategy to make football truly global.
By the end of 2026 FIFA will have invested a record-breaking figure of USD 5 billion in football.
