Eight Katsina Football Academy Talents Leave Nigeria for Belarus Training Camp

Eight promising players from the Katsina State Football Academy have travelled from Nigeria to Belarus for a one-month intensive training programme with FC Torpedo Zhodino-BelAZ, marking a major step in their pursuit of professional football careers.

The young footballers earned the opportunity after impressing during the Malam Dikko Umaru Radda Scouting Tournament 2.0, held across Katsina State from May 29 to June 4, 2026. The competition was designed to identify emerging talent from the state’s 34 local government areas.

Chairman of the Katsina State Football Academy, Ahmed Mohammed, praised Governor Dikko Umaru Radda for supporting the development of grassroots football and youth talent. He described the governor as “The Ultimate Playmaker” and said the programme was helping create a pathway for young players to gain international exposure.

The Belarus camp could prove particularly significant for the players, as some of them may have the opportunity to earn professional contracts with FC Torpedo Zhodino-BelAZ. Mohammed described the trip as a potentially life-changing experience that would expose the players to a different level of football training and competition.

The first group includes 18-year-olds Abdullahi Aliyu and Alhassan Muhammad Shariff, as well as 20-year-old Ismail Nuhu. The remaining five players in Batch A, alongside four players listed under Batch B, are expected to travel to Minsk in the coming days.

The Katsina State Government said the overseas programme is part of a wider plan to develop young footballers, improve their exposure to international standards and create professional opportunities beyond Nigeria. The initiative also aims to promote Katsina’s football talent on the global stage.

Mohammed said the programme reflects the state government’s broader use of sport as a tool for youth development, employment and international recognition. For the players heading to Belarus, the next month could provide an important test of whether their performances at home can translate into opportunities on the international football scene.