FIFA through the FIFA Forward Program set to fund the renovations and rehabilitation of a state-of-the-art Technical Centre for the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF).The National Technical Centre, funded by the FIFA Forward Program, will serve as the training and operation centre for all Ivorian national teams.

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The new technical centre will boast of a medical centre, a gym of 400 square meters, a storage facility, a food court, meeting rooms, a 30-room residential unit, modernised swimming pools and training facilities.

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A groundbreaking ceremony took place on Thursday with the presence of the President of the Ivorian Senate Kandia Camara, FIF President Mr Yacine Idriss Diallo, CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba and FIFA Deputy Chief Member Associations Director, and Regional Director for Africa Gelson Fernandes.

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The renovation is expected to cost more than USD 4 million funded exclusively by the FIFA Forward program, which supports developmental projects in Member Associations."We are celebrating a historic moment. The laying of the first brick of the renovated national centre of the Ivorian Football Federation.

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This symbolic act marks the beginning of an ambitious project bringing dynamism and guaranteeing a future for football in Cote d Ivoire” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

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"Once fully renovated, this centre will not only be a national football centre, it will become a real symbol of hope and opportunity, a springboard for young players, coaches and football enthusiasts, which will fly the flag for Cote d Ivoire and the whole of Africa during international competitions" Infantino added.

President Diallo eulogised his predecessors for their visionary efforts towards the

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realization of this dream.“This centre was initially created by my predecessor, Jacques Anouma. At the time, there were ambitions to make it a high-level national centre. Unfortunately, after its construction, it remained somewhat stagnant. When we came in, we ensured it was going to be a strong project, to truly offer full capacities for young people. It is a centre dedicated to the training of both girls and boys.

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For us, it is an essential tool for the development of elite youth football," Diallo said.The event was attended by over 25 African Football Association presidents, including Alfred Randriamanampisoa of Madagascar, Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon, Ibrahim Musa Gusau of Nigeria, Mathurin de Chacus of Benin, and Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas of Congo, among others.

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The FIFA Forward Program, launched in 2016 by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, is the world’s largest sports development initiative. It aims to distribute FIFA’s revenue equally among its 211 Member Associations.By the end of 2026, FIFA is projected to have invested an unprecedented $5 billion in football development projects worldwide.

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