Popular football tournament Chapa Dimba Football is back after a three-year hiatus. This will be the fourth edition of the Safaricom and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) tournament. Chapa Dimba aims to provide a structured platform for scouts and coaches to tap into new talent. Furthermore, this tournament also works to build feeder systems for the Kenyan leagues across the country. This edition will run from June 2023 to January 2024 from the grassroots to the national level across Kenya.
According to Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa, the telco has committed over KES 400 million to support the tournament. This year, the total prize money has doubled to KES 20 million to reward winners in county, regional and national finals. The best football players, two boys, and two girls, will be scouted during each of the regional finals, to form an All-Star team. In addition to that, they will get an opportunity to visit Spain for a 10-day training boot camp, with two players (a boy and a girl) getting international placement in a youth team in Spain.
Chapa Dimba Stars
Chapa Dimba was launched in 2017 to give young people between the ages of 16-20 years a platform to showcase their talent and get rewarded for their passion. The tournament has become a much sought-after event by local and international scouts seeking new, talented footballers. Chapa Dimba has produced many talented players such as Benson Omalla of Gor Mahia, currently a top scorer in the Kenya Premier League; David Majak of Tusker FC; Jentrix Shikangwa of Simba Queens in Tanzania; Jane Njeri, Cynthia Livondo, and Judith Osimbo among others.
The tournament will be open to both boys’ and girls’ teams. Currently, the national registration exercise is ongoing in Nairobi, Eastern, Western, Nyanza, Rift, Coast, Central, and North Eastern regions. Registration forms are available on the Safaricom website. The group stages will be played at the grassroots level, with successful teams qualifying for the regional finals across the eight regions.
Apart from providing an avenue for young talented footballers, Chapa Dimba also aims to promote social change, inclusion, and respect. During the tournament, communities across Kenya will also get free medical camps and financial and digital literacy clinics with key partners.
