Ranking the 10 best football academies in Africa right now

Ranking the 10 best football academies in Africa right now

Babu Tendu
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:04 PM

African players, both in Europe and on the African continent, have demonstrated outstanding physical, technical, and tactical abilities. This considerable progress can be attributed to the critical role that the best football academies in Africa play in developing today's African talents.

Ranking the 10 best football academies in Africa right now
Photo: canva.com (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Each year, several training centres and academies are established in Africa; even well-known teams from across the continents visit Africa to open schools and recruit new players. Here is a breakdown of the best football academies in Africa by country.

Which are the best football academies in Africa and Asia?

This post will have a detailed look at the top ten best football academies in Africa and agents who produce great African talents.

10. Kadji Sports Academy, Cameroon

They are an excellent example of how effective training centres can be, in Africa and worldwide, due to the large number of international players who have received training at the academy.

Exciting feature: Check out news exactly for YOU ➡️ find "Recommended for you" block and enjoy!

The academy has lessons that begin at the age of 18. To prepare these future players, they have invested in superb facilities and excellent instructors who instil in them some core principles such as rigour, the desire to achieve while performing, personal ethics, and the joy of playing.

The best football academies in South Africa
Samuel Eto'o (Kadji Academy graduate) prior to the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and US Salernitana at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on March 4 2022, in Milan, Italy. Photo by Sportinfoto.
Source: Getty Images

Samuel Eto'o, Stéphane Mbia, Benjamin Moukandjo, Aurélien Chedjou, and Idriss Carlos Kameni are just a few of Kadji's great players who have gone on to play for world-class clubs. Several European clubs have partnered with the centre, including Atletico de Madrid, FC Sevilla, OGS Nice, and others.

9. Diambars FC, Senegal

After retiring, former Benin defender Jean-Marc Adjovi-Boco created his dream project with Senegalese Bernard Lama and entrepreneur Saer Seck to contribute to the development of football in Senegal and throughout Africa.

The best football academies in Africa and Asia
Bernard Lama (co-founder of the Diambars FC) during the French Ligue 1 match between Paris Saint Germain and Nice at Parc des Princes on December 11 2016, in Paris, France. Photo by Anthony Dibon.
Source: Getty Images

Above all, Diambars is a school with a regular academic program. In the academy, academic achievement and athletic excellence are equal. The facility sells talented Senegalese athletes to European clubs after training them and honing their talents into professional players.

8. Mimos Sifcom Academy, Ivory Coast

The Asec Mimosas training centre, founded in 1993 by Roger Ouégnin and Jean-Marc Guillou, has established itself as a model by combining stunning performances with excellent outcomes.

The best football academy in the world
Salomon Kalou (Mimos Sifcom academy graduate)during the training session at Schenckendorffplatz on February 25, 2020, in Berlin, Germany. Photo by City-Press GmbH.
Source: Getty Images

The Academicians, who won Africa with Asec in 1999, are now the backbone of the Ivory Coast Elephants. This academy has produced several successful African players, including Didier Zokora, Emmanuel Eboué, Gervinho, Salomon Kalou, Didier Ya Konan, Kolo Toure, and former FC Barcelona star Yaya Toure.

7. Kwara Football Academy, Nigeria

Dr Bukola Saraki, the Governor of Kwara State, established it in 2005 to focus on talent development and professional training. Over seven experienced coaches worked at the program, all of whom were international players.

Kwara Academy's players have competed in numerous international tournaments inside and outside Africa. It has also produced many players, some of whom are currently playing for various Nigerian teams and in various national team categories.

6. West African Football Academy, Ghana

Feyenoord Club from Rotterdam developed it, which is Ghana's largest academy. It is also a Ghanaian team that competes in the Ghana Premier League.

What is the best age for a football academy? The academy's primary goal is to improve the football talents of young, gifted Africans, primarily those aged between 13 years and 21 years. It also offers them a formal education that the Dutch club supports.

The agents of the best football academies in Africa
Mohammed Abubakari(West-African football academy graduate) during the Allsvenskan match between IFK Norrkoping and BK Hacken on September 19, 2017, in Norrkoping, Sweden. Photo by Nils Petter Nilsson.
Source: Getty Images

Mohammed Abubakari is among the first players to go through the academy and play for Feyenoord, among the numerous players who have graduated from it.

5. Ligi Ndogo Academy, Kenya

It was founded in 2002 and is Kenya's best-known football school. It is the leading school of the Ligi Ndogo Sports Club, and it trains and nurtures Kenyan talent for senior team participation or a career in football elsewhere.

The best football academies in Africa by country
Ayub Masika (Ligi Ndogo graduate) in action during the match between Vissel Kobe and Urawa Red Diamonds at Noevir Stadium Kobe on June 06, 2021, in Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. Photo by Masashi Hara.
Source: Getty Images

Soccer skills, discipline, team spirit, and leadership are taught to students here. It's also worth noting that the senior team was established in 2005. It has produced well-known players, including Swedish international John Guidetti and Kenyan international Ayub Masika.

4. PEPSI Football Academy, Nigeria

This training facility is headquartered in Lagos' Agege Stadium. Kashimawo Laloko came up with the concept, which obtained formal Pepsi company endorsement in 1994.

It has grown to become one of the continent's largest academies regarding infrastructure and training programs.

Which is the best age to join a football academy?
John Obi Mikel (Pepsi Academy graduate)during the Championship match between AFC Bournemouth and Stoke City at Vitality Stadium on May 08, 2021, in Bournemouth, England. Photo by Catherine Ivill.
Source: Getty Images

Quality players like John Mikel Obi, Osaze Odemwingie, Echiabhi Okodugha, Joseph Akpala, and others have come out of the academy to succeed in local and European clubs.

3. Katumbi Football Academy, DR Congo

Creating a training complex has always been part of Congolese TP Mazembe's long-term ambition as one of Africa's best clubs. As a result, TPM is the first Congolese club with a well-developed training centre dedicated to developing bright Congolese youngsters.

It provides excellent training conditions and a diverse range of programs for people of all ages. The academy develops players to join Mazembe's first squad or other teams within and outside the nation. This academy matches one of the best football academies in South Africa.

2. Mohammed VI Academy, Morocco

It was founded in 2008 and opened in 2009 by King Mohammed VI and is a Moroccan football training centre.

This academy's mission is to train students in the "profession" of football and to develop international-calibre players. It also attempts to identify the best players from various social categories, accomplished by a nationwide network of permanent detectors.

1. Midas Football Academy, Nigeria

It was founded in 2006 to discover new Nigerian football prospects. The academy was founded on the premise that Nigeria is rich in gifted children who only require orientation and professional instruction to develop their abilities further.

The academy has a strong international network of teams and organizations that assist its alumni in meeting a variety of coaches and agents from across the world. As a result, it is arguably the best football academy in the world today.

The best football academies in Africa were founded with a single goal, which is to develop young potential stars and create professional footballers who will be competitive in the future. Some of these academies began as small institutions and have now risen to the top of their respective countries' rankings.

READ ALSO: Jaylen Brown's height, salary, age, net worth, career stats, Instagram, house, cars

Sportsbrief recently published an article about Jaylen Brown. Jaylen Brown is an up-and-coming professional basketball player from the United States who has come a long way in a short amount of time.

As an active basketball player, he has set excellent records. Jaylen Brown's height is just one of several attributes contributing to his current status as a superstar. Find more information here.

Authors
Babu Tendu photo
Babu Tendu
SEO Editor