FIFA official visits Chad to boost football infrastructure and youth programs

FIFA Deputy Director of Member Associations for Africa and the Caribbean, Fernández Gelson, arrived in N’Djamena on September 8, 2026, for a two-day mission to support the development of football in Chad. Welcomed by Tahir Oloy Hassan, President of the Chadian Football Association (FTFA), the visit focuses on improving sports infrastructure, training, and youth access to the sport.

A key component of the mission is the formalization of the ‘FIFA Football for Schools’ program. This initiative aims to integrate football into the school environment through a partnership involving the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of National Education and Civic Promotion, using the sport as a tool for education and talent detection.

The mission includes a visit to Koumra in the Mandoul province, where officials, including Minister of Youth and Sports Naïr Abakar, will inaugurate Chad’s first FIFA Arena. This facility is intended to provide modern, accessible spaces for young players and serves as the starting point for a program planned to expand across all 23 provinces of the country.