The World Football Governing body, FIFA On February 25th hosted a major football development event as they launched a Talent Academy in Mauritania.
The Academy launched in capital city of the West African Nation is the first talent academy set up by FIFA in Africa.
“A milestone event took place in Nouakchott Mauritania at the FFRIM as we celebrating the progress and development of the country’s FIFA Talent Academy, a prime example of an institution that has gone from strength to strength under the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS). First in the CAF region, the Talent Academy underlines Mauritania’s pioneering efforts inspiring example for others to follow,” Read a Statement from FIFA
FIFA is planning on having 75 elite FIFA Talent academies in place by the end of 2027, as reflected in FIFA’s Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023-2027. FIFA is therefore deploying dedicated talent coaches globally to establish academies with best-practice training environments for young players of all genders, to date FIFA has already 24 academies globally.
Recently Ivory Coast was a beneficially of another FIFA initiative, 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.
Before that Zambia benefitted with the purchase of a modern, state-of-the-art bus for the national teams, K12 million irizar i6s bus through FIFA’s Forward Development Programme.
What is the Talent Development Scheme?
The FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS), led by FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger, was launched in 2022 with the aim of helping member associations to fulfil their potential by ensuring that every talented player has a chance to be detected and developed. And it enforces the measures taken to reduce the disparity in the level of football between difference regions of the world.
Over the years, it has become clear that there is a competitive imbalance, with European football dominant across international competitions. The main goal of the TDS is to help raise the standards of national-team football around the world for both men and women, by creating a sustainable legacy for long term talent development by maximising each participating member association’s opportunities.
So far, 200 FIFA Member Associations have benefitted from the innovative scheme. FIFA will support all member associations participating in the TDS through a funding allocation of USD 200 million for the 2023-2026 operational cycle.
What is a FIFA Talent Academy?
A key pillar of the TDS implementation phase is the Academies Programme, which will be officially for the first time in recognised in Mauritania, the first in the CAF region as well.
Each talent academy has FIFA-recruited and trained coaches who are working side-by- side with local staff and coaches to establish a high-quality training environment focused on developing the most talented players in the country. Together, the coaches will implement the three key pillars of the initiative: find talented players, train them to give them the tools to best exploit their ability, and give them the opportunity to put what they have learned into practice by playing matches.
WHAT FIFA HAD TO SAY ;
“This is a great day for football in Mauritania, a country passionate about our beautiful game which is making tremendous strides to grow and develop the sport each day. The opening of the FIFA Talent Academy in Mauritania is a hugely significant moment for young players in this country,”-FIFA President, Gianni Infantino
FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, Arsene Wenger: “The ultimate objectives of FIFA Talent Academies are to develop young players by providing them with the highest levels of training, education and development to help them reach their full potential, contributing to the overall growth of football in the country,”
FFRIM President, Ahmed Yahya said: “Today is a historic moment for Mauritanian football. The opening of this FIFA Talent Academy here in Mauritania reflects FIFA’s confidence in our commitment to the development of football. This investment in training our young talents marks a decisive step towards a more ambitious future for our federation”
Director Africa, Gelson Fernandes : “Today marks a milestone in the journey of Mauritanian football—a true celebration of the nation’s passion for the game. Thanks to the FIFA Forward program, we have officially launched the renovation of the Cheikha Boidiya Stadium, expanding its capacity to 16,000 seats. This key infrastructure project is a testament to
FIFA’s commitment to the growth and development of football in Mauritania. We are proud to stand alongside the Mauritanian Football Federation in shaping a bright future for the sport in the country”
Director of the FFRIM Academy, Oumar Ndiaye: “This February 25 marks a decisive turning point for Mauritanian football, especially for our youth. With this FIFA certification, we are taking another step forward in developing our talents and strengthening our training programs. Returning to Mauritania after my professional career in France, my goal has always been to recreate a high-performance environment to support the rise of our players. Today, thanks to FIFA’s support on all fronts, we have the necessary tools to elevate our ambitions.”
Meanwhile Mauritania’s national football stadium, Stade Cheikha Boidiya, is undergoing an expansion as part of a FIFA-funded project with a budget of nearly $2.9 million USD.
The stadium was previously upgraded in 2018, with the installation of seats, modernized changing rooms, and a media room. Now, the objective is to increase its capacity to 16,000 seats to accommodate the growing number of football fans in Mauritania.
