Registration for the latest edition of Chapa Dimba has officially kicked off across the country, with this year’s competition targeting players aged between 15 and 18 years. The month-long registration exercise ending June 11th marks the beginning of another nationwide search for emerging football talent.
Speaking during the launch, Development Director Francis Kimanzi said the federation has already strengthened its talent identification structures ahead of the tournament by training scouts who will operate across different regions.
“We have 90 scouts that were just trained a month and a half ago and that was part of the preparation for this Chapa Dimba and also our ongoing FKF Youth Leagues,” said Kimanzi.
According to Kimanzi, the trained scouts will help ensure uniformity in talent identification while improving football mapping across the country, a move he believes will lead to the discovery of more players than in previous editions.
The FKF Development Director also praised the decision to lower the tournament’s age bracket, while encouraging organizers and sponsors to consider introducing younger categories in future.
“We would also even urge them to go a little bit under 15 because sometimes it is even better if you identify them earlier,” he noted, referencing the growing demand for structured youth development pathways ahead of Under-17 competitions and continental qualifiers.
Kimanzi further described Chapa Dimba as an important grassroots platform that continues to bridge community football with organised talent development systems. He said the competition gives young players exposure while creating opportunities for coaches and scouts to nurture future stars.
“But again, we also have to believe that before you become a champion, there has to be a process. So let’s go out there, let’s scout them and let’s put them within the pipeline of the process for development,” he added.
The tournament, sponsored by Safaricom, has become one of Kenya’s leading grassroots football competitions, producing several players who have progressed into elite football both locally and internationally.
Registration: https://chapadimba.safaricom.co.ke/registration/
