Speaking to the media at the Jomo Kenyatta Stadium Mamboleo grounds in Kisumu at the official launch of Safaricom Chapa Dimba Season 5, Safaricom Chief Consumer Business Officer Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi outlined a series of major changes aimed at transforming youth football development in Kenya.
The 5th edition of the competition is set to introduce new talent identification strategies, expanded use of technology and enhanced education support, all geared towards giving young footballers better opportunities both on and off the pitch.
One of the biggest changes this season is the adjustment of the age bracket for participants. Previously, the tournament targeted players aged between 16 and 20 years, but the new edition will now feature players aged 15 to 18.
According to Fawzia, the decision was informed by feedback from scouts who preferred identifying players earlier to allow more time for development.
“Previously it was 16 to 20, now we are starting from 15 to 18 to give them an opportunity to be scouted and for the scouts to feel that they’ll have a longer time with the young players,” she said.
The move is expected to strengthen the competition’s role as a grassroots talent development platform while increasing the chances of young players being discovered early.
Safaricom is also scaling up the use of football technology after successfully introducing AI-powered performance tracking vests during last season’s regional phase.
This year, the AI vests will be used from the county stages, allowing players to access detailed performance statistics while also helping scouts and coaches assess individual displays more accurately.
In addition to the AI tracking system, the company has introduced VEO cameras that will assist coaches in analyzing player positioning, movement and reactions during matches.
“The second thing we have done is that we will continue with the AI vests. Last year we started using them in the regionals, this time we will start to use them at the county level, which means each of those players will get their statistics of how they have played,” Fawzia explained.
She added that the introduction of VEO cameras would further improve player analysis by helping coaches understand how players respond during different match situations.
Beyond football, Safaricom says education remains a key pillar of the competition. The company will continue offering 150 scholarships this season, but with a major adjustment that now allows beneficiaries to use them in either Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions or universities.
The change follows experiences from previous editions where some beneficiaries secured university placements but could not utilize the TVET-only scholarship support.
Safaricom also unveiled a new international exposure programme for the tournament’s Most Valuable Players.
Last season, MVPs earned a trip to Spain for training sessions with SD Huesca, but this year Safaricom is expanding the opportunity even further.
The selected players will first attend a three-week training camp in Nairobi before travelling to Sweden for the prestigious Gothia Cup, regarded as the biggest youth football tournament in the world.
“Imagine giving our players the opportunity to not only be in a camp together, but to participate in a youth tournament, a global tournament, where a lot of scouts go to,” she said.
Fawzia noted that the Gothia Cup experience would expose Kenyan players to global football standards while giving them an opportunity to showcase their talent before international scouts and clubs.
She also acknowledged the role of the media and tournament partners in amplifying stories of young footballers, saying exposure remains critical in helping players unlock future opportunities.
Teams across the country have now been urged to register for the competition through the official Chapa Dimba portal https://chapadimba.safaricom.co.ke/registration/ ahead of the start of Season 5.
