President of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, together with the President of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, officially launched the FIFA Football Festival at Amahoro Stadium, a program aimed at promoting football among young children through fun and social interaction.
The event took place on Friday, December 26, 2025, with Rwanda becoming the first country to host this FIFA initiative, also known as the FIFA Football Clinic/Festival. The program focuses on introducing young children to football, teaching them basic skills, and encouraging participation in a joyful and inclusive environment rather than competitive play.
A total of 220 children, including 100 girls and 120 boys, took part in the festival. They were drawn from different football academies across the country, with each academy contributing 20 children. The participants were grouped into age categories under 11, under 13, and under 15.
During the official launch, President Kagame and Gianni Infantino distributed footballs to all participating children, with each child receiving a personal ball to take home. They also joined the children on the pitch, playing with them and demonstrating strong support for grassroots football development.
In addition to receiving footballs, the children were coached by experienced youth trainers who guided them through basic football techniques. After the training sessions, the children were divided into teams and played friendly matches that were designed for enjoyment and learning rather than competition or winning trophies.
The Secretary General of the Rwanda Football Federation (FERWAFA), Bonnie Mugabe, stated that through this program, FIFA will distribute up to 5,000 footballs across the country to support football development in academies and schools.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino expressed his appreciation for Rwanda’s commitment to sports development, noting that he was pleased to launch the FIFA Football Festival at Amahoro Stadium, which he described as a modern, world-class facility built with strong support from President Paul Kagame.
This FIFA Football Festival program highlights a vision to develop football from a young age, with the aim of building the future of the sport both in Rwanda and in other countries.
