Caf President Patrice Motsepe has set in motion the African Schools Football Programme in Maputo, Mozambique on Thursday.
The event was attended by members of the Mozambican Government, including the country’s president Filipe Nyusi, and football leaders from the Cosafa region.
“Schools football is at the heart of the long-term development and growth of African football. One of the best investments that we can make to ensure that African football is amongst the best world is to invest in schools football and football infrastructure for boys and girls at school, amateur and professional level,” Motsepe said.
The Caf President presided over the African Schools Football Championship kick-off event at Costa do Sol Stadium, alongside football Presidents from Mozambique, Angola, Comoros, Malawi, Mauritius, South Africa, representatives of other African nations and the co-founder of the Motsepe Foundation, Precious Moloi-Motsepe.
The kick-off of the Caf African Schools Football Programme is the implementation of one of Motsepe’s African youth football development objectives as announced, in April 2021, during a visit in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The African Schools Football Programme is a partnership involving Caf, African Governments, and Football Associations from 41 participating countries. The Programme also consists of the provision of education, coaching, football and skills development courses.
The CAF African Schools Football Programme received a donation of USD 10 million from The Motsepe Foundation, which will be used as prize money. The winning schools will use the prize money to provide football infrastructure, educational and other skills development facilities at these schools.
One of the objectives of the Programme is on the social impact of football in the communities and countries where the schools are – using the game to change the face of Africa.
