The long awaited Rwanda football academy is scheduled to start its operations this Sunday, the local football body, Ferwafa has confirmed.

The Ferwafa Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa told Times Sport yesterday that the academy will open its doors to the selected players on Sunday.

"The academy will start its activities on Sunday. The selected players will join the academy over the weekend to start the long journey of developing our own talents,” Kalisa said. He added that the academy has been boosted by support from the world football governing body, Fifa.

According to Kalisa, Fifa will send a trainer (yet to be known) to conduct activities at the academy starting early next month.

"This is a major boost because the trainer will help to tutor both the young talents and even coaches who will be responsible for the academy,” Kalisa added.

Fifa also approved the disbursement of $ 400,000 to Ferwafa as part of the Goal Project III.

The money will be used in developing the technical centre for the duration of three years. The football academy which has taken long to start its operation was inaugurated by Fifa boss Sepp Joseph Blatter in 2005.

The new soccer complex that serves both as the academy and headquarters of Rwanda’s football federation was financed by Fifa at a tune of $679,000 to include the building and equipment.

The soccer academy is the first of its nature in the country and will equip young players with theoretical and physical techniques in football.

Twenty-five players, all under the age of 15, were selected in February to join Rwanda’s football academy.

Transparency and skills examination were the main concern in the selection for the long awaited academy.

The selection was carried out by Fifa experts who included; Jean Marie Conz and Jean Manga Ongwene with the help of local youth teams’ coaches.

The selected players include:

Northern Province: Kabes Hategekimana (Musanze) and Justin Mico (Musanze)

Kigali City: Olivier Shyaka (Kacyiru), Alpe Mayambere (Kimironko), Patrick Sibomana (Kicukiro), Pascal Munyangando (Gasabo) and Dieudonne Niyonshuti (Kicukiro)
Southern Province: Alexis Ntabana (Huye), Ally Kinyata (Huye), Janvier Ndagijimana (Huye), Yussuf Tuyisenge (Huye), Michel Rusheshangoga (Muhanga) and Jean Paul Rulisa (Nyanza).

Western Province: Emery Bayisenge (Rubavu) and Mansoul Senzira (Rubavu)

Eastern Province: Yves Kwizera (Bugesera), Celestin Ndayishimiye (Gatsibo), Abilu Niyomugabo (Gatsibo), Abdul Sibomana (Gatsibo), Idrissa Habineza (Ngoma), Noel Uwayezu (Rwamagana), Robert Ndatimana (Rwamagana), Emmanuel Uwimana (Rwamagana), Eric Iradukunda (Rwamagana) and Salim Sefu (Rwamagana).

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