By Eddah Waithaka
Safaricom (NSE: SCOM) kicked off Season 5 of its flagship youth football tournament, Safaricom Chapa Dimba, on Monday, doubling down on its mission to unearth young football talent and transform lives through sports, education, and technology.
The new season introduces major changes. Organizers slashed the age bracket from 16–20 years to 15–18 years, allowing earlier talent identification and smoother placement into professional football structures both locally and internationally.
Three key pathways now shape the tournament:
- Sports Development – An All-Star team of 32 outstanding players will represent Kenya at the prestigious Gothia Cup in Sweden, the world’s largest youth football tournament. This marks a strategic shift from previous international bootcamps to structured global competition.
- Education – The Safaricom Citizens of the Future programme will award tertiary scholarships to 150 outstanding players.
- Technology – Safaricom deploys enhanced scouting tech, including VeO Cameras and MyScout AI devices, starting at the county level. These tools track player movement, intensity, positioning, sprint metrics, and overall performance. Players also build digital football profiles accessible to scouts and clubs worldwide.
“We intentionally build pathways that combine sports, education, and technology to empower the next generation,” said Peter Ndegwa, Group CEO of Safaricom PLC. “Our goal is not just to develop footballers, but to nurture well-rounded young people who can positively transform their communities and the country.”
“This season, we take technology deeper into grassroots football because no talent should go unnoticed,” Ndegwa added. “Through data and digital player profiling, we create more structured pathways for young players to access opportunities locally and globally.”
The tournament spans eight regions across five stages: Ward, county, inter-county, regional, and national finals.
Registration opens now for both boys’ and girls’ teams via the official website: www.chapadimba.safaricom.co.ke
Prizes include:
· National winners (boys and girls): KES 1 million each
· County and regional level prizes
· Individual awards for Most Valuable Player, Top Scorer, and Best Goalkeeper
Since its 2017 launch, Safaricom Chapa Dimba has produced notable talents now featuring locally and internationally, including Benson Omalla, Bryton Otieno, Austine Odongo, Derrick Oketch, Jentrix Shikangwa, Marion Serenge, and Mercy Akoth. Former participants have also represented Kenya at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
The tournament anchors Safaricom’s broader youth empowerment agenda, running alongside initiatives by the Safaricom Foundation, M-PESA Foundation, and Citizens of the Future programme, which continue to invest in education, digital inclusion, and community transformation across Kenya.
