A New Chapter Begins: Acakoro and FKF Launch the “Road to U17 World Cup 2027” as a high-performance pathway

FKF President Hussein Mohammed, FKF Deputy McDonald Mariga and Acakoro MD Lukas Mott.

We are happy to announce an important milestone for Acakoro School & Football Academy - and for the future of youth football in Kenya.

Together with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), we officially launched a landmark partnership aimed at creating a structured, long-term high-performance pathway for Kenya’s most talented young footballers. The initiative, titled “Road to U17 World Cup 2027,” is designed to identify, educate, and prepare elite players to compete on the international stage - while ensuring that education and welfare remain at the heart of their development.

Why This Partnership Matters

Kenya has never lacked football talent. From grassroots pitches to school tournaments, gifted players can be found across the country. What has been missing, however, is a coordinated system that allows young talents to develop consistently without sacrificing their education.

The Acakoro-FKF partnership addresses this challenge directly.

For the first time, Kenya will operate a residential high-performance academy model that is fully aligned with the national federation’s youth development pathway. This means young players no longer have to choose between school and football - they receive both, in a safe, structured, and professional environment.

What the “Road to U17 World Cup 2027” Looks Like

Beginning in December 2025, FKF in collaboration with Acakoro will conduct nationwide scouting across five regions, focusing on boys born in 2011, the ideal age group for the FIFA U17 World Cup in 2027.

From these scouting events:

• the top players will be selected based purely on merit

• Selected players will receive full scholarships at Acakoro School

• They will move to the Acakoro Residential Campus in Homa Bay, where they will live, learn, and train full-time

At Acakoro, players follow a daily routine that combines:

• CBC-aligned academic education

• Elite football training under licensed coaches

• Sports science support, including video and GPS analysis

• Nutrition, accommodation, and pastoral care

• Character building, discipline, and life skills

FKF will ensure that all selected players are fully integrated into the national youth team pathway, from U15 through U17, with clear benchmarks and competitive exposure.

Why Acakoro?

Acakoro MD Lukas Mott during the launch of the "Road to U17 World Cup 2027"

Acakoro’s journey began more than a decade ago in Nairobi’s informal settlements, with a simple belief: football can change lives when paired with education and structure.

Over the years, Acakoro teams have competed - and succeeded - against some of the world’s most respected academies, including FC Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and Red Bull Salzburg. These achievements were not built on resources alone, but on discipline, belief, and a strong development philosophy.

Today, the new 25-acre Acakoro Campus in Homa Bay provides everything required for a residential high-performance environment: classrooms, dormitories, pitches, dining facilities, and modern training infrastructure. This existing foundation makes Acakoro the ideal host for a national pilot of this scale.

Beyond 2027: Building a Lasting Legacy

While qualifying for the FIFA U17 World Cup 2027 is a clear and ambitious goal, the vision goes far beyond one tournament.

This pilot project is designed as a blueprint for the future:

• A model that can be replicated in other counties

• A system that strengthens FKF’s long-term national team pipeline

• A pathway that protects young players through education and welfare

• A foundation for future expansion - including girls’ high-performance programs

The ultimate success of this initiative will not be measured only by results on the scoreboard, but by the opportunities it creates for generations of Kenyan youth.

A Shared Commitment

This partnership represents a shared commitment between Acakoro and FKF to raise standards, improve transparency, and put young players first. To parents, communities, and supporters: we promise merit-based selection, full transparency, and good care for every child entrusted to this program.

Kenya has the talent. Now, it has the pathway.

The journey to the U17 World Cup 2027 has officially begun.