Tuesday 25 February was a landmark day for Mauritania, as the country celebrated two historic and decisive turning points in its football development.

The FIFA Talent Academy – the first of its kind in Africa – opened its doors, alongside the launch of the Cheikha Boïdiya Stadium project, which is being expanded and upgraded with support from the FIFA Forward Programme.

The Mauritanian Football Association (FFRIM) welcomed many leading figures from politics and international football to celebrate the occasion in the country's capital, Nouakchott.

“The opening of the FIFA Talent Academy in Mauritania marks a significant moment for the country's young talent,” declared FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a video message.

“This outstanding project was masterminded by FIFA Chief of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger. It's about taking football to a truly global level by raising standards worldwide and giving more boys and girls the chance to play football, and potentially play on the international stage,” Mr Infantino explained in reference to the programme, which has helped more than 200 FIFA Member Associations since launching in February 2022.

“We feel honoured and proud to have this academy in Mauritania,” added a delighted Ahmed Yahya, President of the Mauritanian Football Association. “This academy represents a key asset for us because it will bring footballers who can raise the standards in our local league football and our national teams, as well as training professionals who will enhance our country's image.”

The Academy's state-of-the-art facilities and local coaches trained by FIFA technical experts provide a first-class environment for the country's young stars to realise their footballing potential. At the same time, it offers a high-quality educational framework that focuses on individual personal development, encouraging players to adopt core values that will be invaluable throughout their lives.

“Our motto is 'Give every talent a chance',” said FIFA Talent Coach Selmen Sassi. “The goal is to develop and train them to become national team players and, hopefully, the continent's legends of the future. We are dealing with young human beings. Personal development through football is important, as it allows us to develop core values such as responsibility, respect and humility. This is a highly valued aspect.”

The country's young talents who enrol at the academy may one day play at the newly renovated Cheikha Boïdiya Stadium, which has seen an almost USD 2.9 million investment from the FIFA Forward 3.0 Programme. This upgrade has doubled the capacity of the capital's sports venue, from 8,000 to more than 16,000 spectators, consolidating the country's ambitions to host major sporting events.

“We hope that this stadium can become a further source of inspiration for the young footballers at the FIFA Talent Academy in Mauritania, who may someday proudly wear the colours of their national team,” said Mr Infantino.

“This endorsement by FIFA highlights Mauritania's growing ambitions in the world of football. The country qualified for the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 2019 for the first time in its history. Following that, they went one step further by reaching the knockout phase in 2023,” added the FIFA President.

“It will change the face of our football because it's a modern stadium,” explained Mr Yahya. “It will look amazing with all FIFA's amenities and international standards. It’s a top class venue, and once again it's down to FIFA Forward's clever approach, launched by President Gianni Infantino, to revolutionise football in Africa and around the world.”

“This is an incredibly proud day,” said Gelson Fernandes, FIFA Regional Director for Africa and Member Associations Division Deputy Chief. “This expansion proves FIFA's commitment to developing its infrastructure throughout Mauritania. This will help us prepare for the future.”

“I think we can use what's happening here in Mauritania as an example for other associations to see how beneficial it is when you set up a programme like this,” added FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis. “It can take time to develop and grow, but hopefully, we can inspire other countries in the region by creating a benchmark that demonstrates what can be achieved by working with FIFA in a tangible way.”

Mauritania has become a leading example of development and good governance in recent years, having taken a number of major strides and taken part in FIFA programmes.

“I realised just how much Mauritania loves football when I visited your beautiful country in 2021, and it struck me how determined you are to make this sport available to everyone,” said Mr Infantino. “I hope you enjoy this momentous occasion, and I wish you all the best for the future. Let's give every Mauritanian talent a chance, together.”