By KPC Sports Reporter
Safaricom has launched Season Five of its flagship youth football tournament, Safaricom Chapa Dimba, introducing new international exposure, scholarships, and AI-powered scouting technology aimed at transforming grassroots football in Kenya.
The telecommunications giant announced that an All-Star team made up of 32 exceptional players from the tournament will travel to Sweden to represent Kenya at the prestigious Gothia Cup, widely regarded as the world’s largest youth football competition.
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The initiative replaces the international bootcamps held in previous editions and is expected to provide young Kenyan players with structured international competition and wider global exposure.
At the same time, 150 outstanding players will benefit from tertiary education scholarships under Safaricom’s Citizens of the Future programme as the company seeks to combine sports, education, and technology in youth empowerment.
“We are intentionally building pathways that combine sports, education, and technology to empower the next generation,” said Peter Ndegwa.
“Our goal is not just to develop footballers, but to nurture well-rounded young people who can positively transform their communities and the country.”
Safaricom has also lowered the player age bracket from 16–20 years to 15–18 years to allow earlier talent identification and development into professional football structures locally and internationally.
In a major technological shift, the company will deepen the use of artificial intelligence in scouting and performance analysis.
Following the successful use of AI-powered GPS vests last season, Safaricom will now introduce advanced scouting technologies, including VeO Cameras and MyScout AI devices, starting from county-level matches.
The technology will track player movement, sprint metrics, positioning, and overall performance while helping young footballers create digital player profiles accessible to scouts and clubs worldwide.
“This season, we are taking technology deeper into grassroots football because we believe no talent should go unnoticed,” Ndegwa added.
The tournament will be staged across eight regions in five phases, from ward level to the national finals. Winners in both boys’ and girls’ categories will each receive Sh1 million, alongside county and regional prizes and individual player awards.
