President Paul Kagame has courted the global football governing body FIFA to partner in developing Rwanda’s football.
On the mergins of the 78th UN General Assembly in New York, Kagame, received FIFA President Gianni Infantino to discuss FIFA’s partnership with Rwanda in football development.
President Kagame is a vocal supporter of the football development progress being made across east Africa.
Rwanda’s capital Kigali also hosted the 73rd FIFA Congress which took place on 16 March 2023.
During the congress President Infantino made a commitment to focus on helping to develop Infrastructure, competitions and education.
Through its Foward Program, FIFA seeks “step change” for global football development.
FIFA Forward is built to provide 360-degree, tailor-made support for football development in each of our member associations and the six confederations and is based on three principles: more investment more impact, and more oversight.
According to FIFA, this program aims to improve the way “we develop and support football across the globe so that football can reach its potential in every single country, and everyone who wants to take part can do so without barriers.”
Meanwhile, football development is also one of Rwanda’s principal concerns. This is as also demonstrated by the substantial work carried out in this sphere by its national football federation, FERWAFA.
The strategic development plan for women’s football that it unveiled recently is an excellent example of this, also the impressive accommodation centre it has just finished building with the help of the FIFA Forward Programme.
The centre has 42 bedrooms, two dining rooms, several offices and two large meeting rooms.
It will be used to host the entire Amavubi (The Wasps) family – be it the men’s, women’s or youth teams – during national gatherings. It will also open its doors to any FERWAFA guests during meetings or workshops.
“It’s a source of pride for the Kigali Regional Office to have supported FERWAFA in the construction of this superb building,” explained Davis Ndayisenga, Manager of FIFA’s Regional Development Office, which was officially opened in Kigali almost a year ago to the day. It’s a unique residential centre that will enable the Federation to embark on other projects in the future.”
“The aim of this project was to reduce the Federation’s accommodation costs, as the sums previously spent on hotel rooms for its various teams were very high. This building solves that problem.”