The Cameroonian Football Federation (FECAFOOT) and Orange Cameroon announced a new partnership in Yaoundé on Thursday to support youth football development. This partnership focuses on the Orange FECAFOOT FIFA TDS U17 elite youth football tournament.
During a press conference at FECAFOOT headquarters, representatives from both institutions expressed their enthusiasm for the collaboration and detailed Orange Cameroon's sponsorship aspects of the tournament.
The tournament, which has been running for several weeks, is a competition dedicated to the country's best academies and is currently in the zonal phase. The national phase is scheduled for mid-May. The main goal is to discover and train new talent so that they can join the next generation of the Indomitable Lions and contribute to Cameroon's international success.
By supporting this tournament, Orange Cameroon reaffirms its commitment to the development of Cameroonian football and its role as a corporate citizen. Orange Cameroon has been investing in Cameroonian football for over 25 years, including supporting young talents. The company has also established partnerships with other entities, such as the National Football Academy, to expand its reach in all ten regions of Cameroon. Through these initiatives, Orange Cameroon has trained nearly 2,500 young people, more than 300 of whom play in local leagues, and approximately 52 have been selected for various national teams.
This partnership between FECAFOOT and Orange Cameroon is part of a broader strategy to strengthen grassroots football in Cameroon. By structuring an elite U-17 championship, FECAFOOT aims to professionalize football academies, standardize training methods through the National Technical Directorate, and continuously supply the national youth teams.
The Orange FECAFOOT FIFA TDS U17 tournament is divided into four geographic zones to ensure inclusive talent detection across the country: Centre, South and East; Littoral and South-West; West and North-West; Adamaoua, North and Far North. The national final phase, scheduled for May, will crown the champion of Cameroon.
Beyond the competition, this program aims to instill values such as discipline, teamwork, respect and perseverance in young participants. The goal is to develop well-rounded individuals who can contribute to the country's development.
The kickoff of this promising partnership has been given, marking a new milestone in the development of youth football in Cameroon. Eyes are now on the national phase of the tournament, where the future talents of Cameroonian football will be revealed.
