Mwendwa impressed with talent at FKF Youth League

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa has emphasised on the significance of investing in youth development.

He spoke at the weekend during the culmination of the 2023/24 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Youth League at the Baba Dogo Grounds in Nairobi.

“We remain steadfast in our commitment to creating pathways for our young players to unlock their full potential,” said Mwendwa.

“Youth development programs are the bedrock upon which the future of Kenyan football shall be built, and we shall continue to allocate resources to ensure their success.”

Rodney Strikers U-13 and U-15, SJF, and Ladies Musa are the teams that starred in the tournament.

In the U-13 category, Rodney Strikers (boys) and SJF (girls) claimed the bragging rights thanks to a 1-0 win over Kayole Youngsters and ACAFOA respectively.

In the U-15 category, Rodney Strikers (boys) and Ladies Musa (girls) triumphed with the former beating A1000 Street Sportive (boys) 1-0 and the latter beating Babadogo TIA 2-0.

The youth development program was spearheaded by FKF across five centres in Nairobi: Baba Dogo, Kayole, Mukuru, Mbotela, and Starehe.

On Wednesday, the eight teams secured finals spots, with four in the U-13 category and four in the U-15 category, namely Rodney Strikers and Kayole Youngster in the U-13 boys category, and SJF and ACAFOA in the U-13 girls category.

In the U-15 category, 1000 Sportive and Rodney Strikers represented the boys, while Ladies MUSA and Babadogo TIH represented the girls.

Several players who feature in the FKF Youth League have been scouted into the junior national teams, including James Gachago, Andreas Omondi, and Rajab Umar.

These success stories serve as a testament to the federation’s efforts to identify and nurture emerging talent.