Victor Wanyama Confirms Official Launch Date for Football Academy
Victor Wanyama
Former Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama has confirmed that the official launch of the Victor Wanyama Academy will take place at the end of July in Nairobi.
The academy, which already has branches in Nairobi and Busia, is being established through the Wanyama Foundation by Victor Wanyama and his elder brother, McDonald Mariga.
The initiative by the Celtic legend is aimed at identifying, nurturing and preparing young footballers for professional careers while creating opportunities that were largely unavailable during the brothers’ rise to the top of the game.
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Founded in 2018, the Wanyama Foundation focuses on giving back to communities through sports by investing in young talent and creating structured pathways that can help aspiring footballers fulfil their potential.
Academy launch to open new pathways for young players
“The official launch will be at the end of July in Nairobi to shorten the pathway for young players. From our own experiences, we know how difficult it can be to make it, so we want to make the journey smoother for the next generation,” he said as per MozzartSport.
Wanyama explained that the academy was inspired by the challenges he and Mariga faced while pursuing professional football careers.
The academy will provide structured football training while also exposing players to professional standards from an early age.
According to Wanyama, creating an environment that mirrors established football systems abroad will help young talents adapt more easily when opportunities arise outside the country.
“We also want to provide better facilities for our players, similar to what you see in Europe, so that when they get opportunities abroad, they don’t experience culture shock or find themselves overwhelmed,” he said.
The former Celtic and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder believes investing in quality infrastructure is essential if Kenyan players are to compete consistently on the international stage. Besides technical development, the academy intends to prepare players mentally and professionally for careers in top leagues.
The Nairobi facility will serve as the first major operational centre following the official launch, with training programmes expected to cater for different age groups as part of a long-term player development model.
Long-term vision extends beyond football development
Wanyama said the academy’s ambitions stretch beyond producing talented footballers, noting that the project is also intended to empower communities by creating opportunities for young people through sport.
“We believe in giving back to the community by empowering young people. Our goal is to nurture more players like Wanyama and Situma, and eventually have teams strong enough to compete at the World Cup level. That is our long-term vision,” he added.
Construction work is also progressing at the Busia branch, which is expected to become another key hub for talent identification and development once completed. Wanyama revealed that most of the facility’s design has already been finalised, with work now centred on completing the playing pitches.
According to the former Harambee Stars skipper, the football surfaces have presented the biggest challenge during construction, although he remains optimistic that the remaining work will be completed within a reasonable timeframe.
Once fully operational, the Busia academy will complement the Nairobi branch by expanding access to structured football programmes in western Kenya. The facilities are expected to support players from grassroots level through to the professional ranks using a clear development pathway.
The academy also plans to introduce modern coaching methods by bringing together experienced local and international coaches. Wanyama believes this collaborative approach will encourage knowledge sharing while improving coaching standards across the country.
The exchange of expertise is expected to benefit not only coaches but also the young players under the programme, who will receive training aligned with international best practices. The objective is to equip them with the technical, tactical and psychological attributes required to succeed both locally and overseas.
Wanyama remains one of Kenya’s most accomplished footballers, having enjoyed successful spells in Scotland and England before continuing his career abroad. His experience at the highest level has shaped his belief that better structures are needed to help Kenyan players maximise their talent.
Through the academy and the Wanyama Foundation, the brothers hope to create sustainable systems that continue producing elite footballers for years to come while inspiring more young people to pursue the sport.
If successfully implemented, the academy could play a vital role in expanding opportunities for talented youngsters and contribute to the country’s ambitions of producing more players capable of succeeding on the global stage.
