Nyeri County, Kenya – The Talanta Hela Tournament, currently underway in Nyeri County, is not just a showcase of young football talent but also a scouting ground for players who will represent Kenya in future international competitions, including the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) U-18 Cup and potentially the FIFA World Cup 2030.
According to Kenya News Agency, Kenya Sports Academy’s senior principal in charge of technical personnel training, Grace Mitambo, announced that the tournament is a key platform for identifying and nurturing young talents. Speaking at the Moi Complex Primary School, where the play-offs entered their second day, Mitambo explained that the scouts are looking for standout players in the participating teams. The objective is to groom these talents for strengthening local teams and preparing for the CECAFA U-18 event and future World Cup qualifiers.
The tournament has seen exciting matches with teams from various counties participating. In the recent games, Busia’s girls’ team triumphed over Marsabit with a 2-0 score, while Uasin Gishu’s girls defeated Migori 6-1. Under Pool B for girls, Machakos County girls won against Mombasa County with a 2-0 score, and Nyandarua beat Kiambu county 1-0.
In the boys’ category, Mandera County secured a victory against Nairobi County with a 1-0 score, and Uasin Gishu overpowered their Kwale counterparts 3-0. Homabay County boys outperformed Nakuru with a 2-0 score, and Kakamega County emerged victorious against Embu County with a 4-0 win.
The upcoming matches are set to include Busia county girls facing Uasin Gishu and Mombasa battling Nyandarua in the girls’ pool. For the boys, Nairobi will play against Uasin Gishu, while Nakuru County is set to compete with Embu in Pool B. The semi-finals are scheduled for November 21, followed by third place play-offs and finals on November 22.
Mitambo’s vision for the tournament extends beyond immediate victories, focusing on building a strong pool of players for Kenya’s youth teams and future international competitions. The Talanta Hela Tournament thus serves as a crucial stepping stone for these young athletes on their journey to potentially representing their country on the world stage.
