Nigeria Hosts CAF Inspection Ahead of African Schools Football Championship Finals

Nigeria Hosts CAF Inspection Ahead of African Schools Football Championship Finals

By Niyi Busari 

Officials from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) are scheduled to arrive in Nigeria on Monday to inspect facilities proposed for hosting the final phase of this year’s CAF African Schools Football Championship, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

The inspection forms part of CAF’s evaluation process as Nigeria bids to stage the concluding round of the continental youth tournament, which has become a key pillar of CAF’s grassroots football development programme.

Launched four years ago, the CAF African Schools Football Championship is an annual Under-15 competition designed to promote youth football and education across Africa. The tournament is supported by a $10 million investment from the Motsepe Foundation, owned by CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe, and is structured around zonal qualifiers culminating in a continental finals tournament.

The championship features both boys’ and girls’ competitions. At the 2024 finals in Accra, Ghana, Tanzania emerged winners in the boys’ category, while host nation Ghana claimed the girls’ title. Beyond silverware, the competition offers significant development incentives, with winning teams receiving up to $300,000 for infrastructural projects. The tournament also partners with global organisations such as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote health education among participants.

CAF’s inspection delegation includes Omar Amr (Safeguarding), Fatima Elmissaoui (African Schools Football Championship Officer), Herve Dassoundo (Marketing and Branding), Mahmoud Amer (Travel and Logistics), Diabate Zakarhiya (Safety and Security), Hend Thabet (Travel and Accommodation), Joshua Knipp (ASFC Competition), as well as the Executive Director of WAFU B, Philippe Tchere.

The inspection exercise is scheduled for Tuesday, February 3, and Wednesday, February 4, 2026. The delegation will assess key competition and auxiliary venues in Ikenne-Remo and Sagamu, with particular focus on the Remo Stars Stadium and its training pitches in Ikenne-Remo, as well as the FC Ebedei Stadium and training facilities in Sagamu. Hospitals and hotel infrastructure in both towns will also be evaluated as part of the overall hosting requirements.