The Chief of Global Football Development at FIFA, Arsene Wenger, has announced plans to open a football academy in Ghana in the near future.
Wenger revealed that FIFA aims to establish 75 academies worldwide by the end of 2026. In Africa, the former Arsenal manager stated that academies will be launched in Ghana, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Zambia within the next year.
He was quoted by FIFA as saying, “Over the next six months to one year, our plan is to open more academies in Africa. We are now close to opening new ones in Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Ghana, and Zambia. By the end of 2026, we’ll have 75 academies all over the world. That means football education has moved forward and that’s what we’re focusing on at the moment.”
Wenger emphasized the importance of enhancing the competitiveness and quality of football, stating, “We want the game to be more competitive and of better quality and there is only one way to do it: it’s the quality of the football education and quality of the competitions.”
For more information, you can view Arsene Wenger’s reflections on the recent AFCON and his hopes for football development in Africa and beyond here.
