Arséne Wenger FIFA-led youth programme hits Africa
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday March 3, 2025 09:16
The FIFA TDS is led by former Arsenal head coach and FIFA Chief of Global Football Development, Arséne Wenger. FIFA TDS was launched in 2022 to help member associations fulfill their potential by ensuring that every talented player has a chance to be detected and developed. The programme enforces the measures taken to reduce the disparity in the level of football between different regions of the world. On Tuesday, the FIFA Talent Academy was launched in Nouakchott, Mauritania, in a bid to aid the development of players and the game in the country and the region. The FIFA Talent Academy Mauritania, a first on African soil, will develop the best players, to act as a role model for the Mauritania Federation, create a sustainable football ecosystem to establish a long-term, structured pathway for talent development, and foster social and personal growth.
Speaking at the launch, FIFA president Gianni Infantino said: '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.' The Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania president, Ahmed Yahya, said the opening of the FIFA Talent Academy reflects FIFA's confidence in Mauritania's 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,' said Yahya. The FIFA Talent Academy Mauritania will be equipped with 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.
The coaches will implement the three key pillars of the initiative: find talented players, train them and 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. In addition, FIFA Talent Academy Mauritania would prioritise safeguarding and education as core elements. In a bid to meet these standards, the academy will ensure a safe environment that promotes the well-being and holistic development of all players as it comes to par with the other FIFA Talent Academies spread globally. Over 200 FIFA Member Associations have benefited from the innovative scheme since 2022. FIFA supports all member associations participating in the TDS through a funding allocation of $200 million for the 2023-2026 operational cycle. FIFA is also planning on having 75 elite FIFA talent academies in place by the end of 2027, as per 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 already has 24 academies globally.