Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) officially launched the Mauritania Talent Academy in Nouakchott city on 25th February 2025.
The FIFA Talent Academy is a prime example of an institution that has gone from strength to strength under the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS).
This is the first in the CAF region, underlining Mauritania’s pioneering efforts inspiring example for others to follow.
For starters, the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS) is led by FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger.
The ultimate objectives of FIFA Talent Academies are to develop young players by providing them with the highest levels of training, education and development to help them reach their full potential, contributing to the overall growth of football in the country.
FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, Arsene Wenger
Today is a historic moment for Mauritanian football. The opening of this FIFA Talent Academy here in Mauritania reflects FIFA’s confidence in our commitment to the development of football. This investment in training our young talents marks a decisive step towards a more ambitious future for our federation.
FFRIM President, Ahmed Yahya
It was officially launched in 2022 with the aim of helping member associations to fulfil their potential by ensuring that every talented player has a chance to be detected and developed.
FIFA Talent Development Scheme enforces the measures taken to reduce the disparity in the level of football between difference regions of the world.
This is a great day for football in Mauritania, a country passionate about our beautiful game which is making tremendous strides to grow and develop the sport each day. The opening of the FIFA Talent Academy in Mauritania is a hugely significant moment for young players in this country.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino
Over the years, it has become clear that there is a competitive imbalance, with European football dominant across international competitions.
The main goal of the TDS is to help raise the standards of national-team football around the world for both men and women, by creating a sustainable legacy for long term talent development by maximizing each participating member association’s opportunities.
So far, 200 FIFA Member Associations have benefitted from the innovative scheme.
This February 25 marks a decisive turning point for Mauritanian football, especially for our youth. With this FIFA certification, we are taking another step forward in developing our talents and strengthening our training programs. Returning to Mauritania after my professional career in France, my goal has always been to recreate a high-performance environment to support the rise of our players. Today, thanks to FIFA’s support on all fronts, we have the necessary tools to elevate our ambitions.
Director of the FFRIM Academy, Oumar Ndiaye
FIFA will support all member associations participating in the TDS through a funding allocation of USD 200 million for the 2023-2026 operational cycle.
FIFA Talent Development Scheme implementation:
A key pillar of the TDS implementation phase is the Academies.
Each talent academy has FIFA-recruited and trained coaches who will be working side-by-side with local staff and coaches to establish a high-quality training environment focused on developing the most talented players in the country.
Together, the coaches will implement the three key pillars of the initiative: find talented players, train them to give them the tools to best exploit their ability, and give them the opportunity to put what they have learned into practice by playing matches.
Additionally, each FIFA Talent academy must prioritize safeguarding and education as core elements.
By meeting these standards, each academy will ensure a safe environment that promotes the well-being and holistic development of all players.
FIFA is planning on having 75 elite FIFA Talent academies in place by the end of 2027, as reflected in FIFA’s Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023-2027.
FIFA is therefore deploying dedicated talent coaches globally to establish academies with best-practice training environments for young players of all genders, to date FIFA has already 24 academies globally.
Mauritania football has been making huge strides in recent times. This first milestone event of a FIFA Talent Academy in Africa is a major breakthrough for African football. The FIFA Talent Development Scheme allows us to find, train and give young talents the opportunity to play best with the best in their country. On top of that the FIFA Talent coaches who work and live within the country provide the national coaches with ongoing coaching development.
FIFA Director of Global Football Development, Steven Martens
The FIFA Talent Academy Mauritania is the first milestone event on African soil and a recognition of the Mauritian Federation outstanding work and progress in meeting established criteria.
The objectives of the Talent Academy in Mauritania are the same as all FIFA recognized academies: to develop the best players, to act as a role model for the Federation, to create a sustainable football ecosystem — establish a long-term, structured pathway for talent development and to Foster social and personal growth.
Meanwhile, FIFA also announced the launch of the extension project at Cheikha Boidiya stadium, funded thanks to FIFA Forward funds, to a tune of nearly $2.9 million USD.
[Additional reports by FIFA Team]
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