CAF Officials Arrive Nigeria to Inspect Ikenne and Sagamu Facilities for African Schools Football Championship Finals

Officials of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) will arrive in Nigeria on Monday to inspect facilities proposed to host the Final Phase of this year’s CAF African Schools Football Championship.

The inspection team will assess competition and ancillary venues in Ikenne-Remo and Sagamu, Ogun State, as Nigeria bids to stage the continental youth tournament, which is designed to promote grassroots football development and education across Africa.

Launched four years ago, the CAF African Schools Football Championship is an annual Under-15 competition for both boys and girls. The tournament is backed by a $10 million investment from the Foundation owned by CAF President Patrice Motsepe, and features zonal qualifiers culminating in a continental finals event.

The 2024 finals were held in Accra, Ghana, where Tanzania won the boys’ category and hosts Ghana claimed the girls’ title. Winning schools receive up to $300,000 in infrastructural development support. The championship is also run in partnership with global bodies including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO), with a strong focus on health and education awareness.

CAF officials scheduled for the inspection include Omar Amr (Safeguarding), Fatima Elmissaoui (ASFC 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 Philippe Tchere, Executive Director of WAFU B.

The inspection will take place on Tuesday, February 3, and Wednesday, February 4, 2026. Key facilities to be evaluated include the Remo Stars Stadium and training pitches in Ikenne-Remo, the FC Ebedei Stadium and training pitches in Sagamu, alongside hospitals and hotel accommodation within the two host towns.

Nigeria’s readiness to meet CAF’s technical, logistical, safety, and welfare requirements will determine its chances of hosting the prestigious youth championship finals later this year.

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