The FKF’s new youth focused strategy seeks to fix that gap by introducing programs under its youth department that will work directly with schools
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed has unveiled a bold new plan aimed at transforming the way football talent is discovered and developed in Kenya. The federation is setting the stage for a national collaboration with both the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) and the Kenya Primary Schools Sports Association (KPSSA) to build a more structured and consistent pipeline for young footballers.
Speaking during a recent engagement, as reported by Citizen Digital, Mohammed emphasized the urgent need to go beyond simply identifying young talent, insisting that the real challenge lies in nurturing and tracking that potential over time.
“Right now, you can identify a brilliant 13-year-old player,” he said. “But what happens when they turn 14, 15 or 16? Which schools do they move to? What clubs pick them up? Who's keeping an eye on their progress? Unfortunately, the answer is often no one. That’s where we’re losing out.”
The FKF’s new youth focused strategy seeks to fix that gap by introducing programs under its youth department that will work directly with schools to ensure talented players are not just discovered, but mentored, supported and guided all the way to the professional level.
Mohammed stressed that schools are brimming with talent, but without a clear system in place, many promising players fall through the cracks. “The potential is there,” he said. “But we need to ask: who’s responsible for capturing that talent, shaping it, and making sure it grows? That’s the piece we’ve been missing.”
If executed well, this partnership could signal a major shift in the future of Kenyan football, turning school playgrounds into the first step of a clear and consistent path toward the national team and professional clubs.