Rwanda Football Federation (Ferwafa) is set to start the U-15 football league on February 14 as part of a broader campaign to encourage more children to play football, which they say would, in the long run, benefit the country.

Speaking during a meeting between Ferwafa and the association of football centres, ‘Ijabo”, Ferwafa president Vincent ‘Degaule’ Nzamwita said: "We need to start a youth league because we want to see more youth playing football.”

The U-15 league will attract players who were born after January 2000. The championship will be played for nine months across the country.

Each league will have 10 teams with the first phase taking place in four districts, including Kicukiro (central), Rubavu (northwest), Nyanza (south) and Gatsibo (east) from February through April.

The second phase will start in June through August in other four districts, including  Nyarugenge (central), Musanze (northwest), Nyamagabe (south) and Kayonza (east).

The third phase will kick off in October and run until December and will cover Gatsibo (central), Nyabihu (northwest), Rusizi (south) and Rwamagana (east).

The fourth phase will start in 2016 from February through April in the districts of  Gicumbi, (central), Rulindo (northwest), Huye (south) and Nyagatare (east).

After the phases, Ferwafa will select 30 players in each league who will then  continue training under the watch of expert coaches. The coaches will be named later in the year.