The Comoros has inaugurated a groundbreaking new technical training centre with the help of FIFA Forward funding to further facilitate what has been an impressive recent recovery in world football, achieved against the odds. The African island nation, which lies in the Indian Ocean, was ravaged by Cyclone Kenneth in 2019. Five short years later and the men's national team reached the semi-finals of the COSAFA Cup 2024, and Stefano Cusin's side sit top of Group I in CAF qualifying for the FIFA World Cup 26™, with three wins from four games. Now, FIFA, through the FIFA Forward Programme, has contributed USD 2.5 million which will be used to: extend and renovate the Comoros' Mitsamiouli Technical Centre; improve technical capacities across the regions of Ngazidja, Ndzouani and Mwali islands; and rehabilitate the Stade de Hombo and Stade El Hadj Matoir.

"The Mitsamiouli Technical Centre is the flagship project of the Comoros Football Federation," explained FFC President Said Athouman during the inauguration at the Stade Said Mohamed Cheikh. "The facility will accommodate more than 30 players aged 15 or under with the aim of seeing them progress quickly into the senior national team. They will be trained here and in the coming years become the future of Comoran football. "We are an island state, but when the national team plays, everyone feels Comoran."

The facility will also accommodate women's and youth national teams, and should stand the country in good stead ahead of the 2027 Indian Ocean Islands Games, which the Comoros will host. The Comoros' men's team remained 119th in July's FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking, just two places below their record high of 117th achieved in April 2024.

"I am extremely proud to be celebrating with the Member Association on this special day," added Gelson Fernandes, FIFA's Director Member Associations Africa. "The renovation of the technical centre will mark a big step forward for football development within the country. "The federation decision is going well from a sporting perspective and they and FIFA together are laying foundations for the future, and the presence of our colleague [FIFA MA Development Manager] Sanda Rasoamahenina in attendance demonstrates the closeness of both institutions. "In addition, the vision of our President [Mr Gianni Infantino] is to give every aspiring talent a chance. By doing so with such an infrastructure project, we ensure that they can play and develop in a safe and high-quality environment."