Ouagadougou: Burkina Faso's sports ambassador, Charles Kabor, announced Thursday in Ouagadougou the upcoming launch of a competition for under-17 footballers, called the "League of Hope." Structured like the Champions League, 16 teams selected from across the country will participate in this competition in Ouagadougou and Bobo-Dioulasso.

According to Burkina Information Agency, The opening of the championship is scheduled to take place on October 10, 2026 at the Wobi Stadium in Bobo-Dioulasso and the semi-finals as well as the final will be played in Ouagadougou in May, the promoter indicated.

In his opening statement, the Burkinabe sports ambassador indicated that this national competition aims to offer more playing opportunities to young footballers and to create an environment conducive to the detection of tomorrow's talents.

He stressed that the initiative is part of the dynamic initiated by the President of Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traor, in favor of youth development, sport and the promotion of the next generation of athletes.

"For this first edition, sixteen teams from football academies and training structures will take part in the competition. They will be divided into two groups of eight teams, with matches scheduled in Bobo-Dioulasso and Ouagadougou, before the semi-finals and the grand final," he maintained.

The former captain of the Stallions announced his ambition to extend this initiative to all regions of Burkina Faso and neighboring countries in the coming years.

"We want to make this League much more than just a championship: a real space for expression, detection and progression for our young players," he stated, before declaring that he would thank all the partners supporting the project.

Comrade Kabor also invited academies, coaches, football stakeholders, the media and the sporting public to support this initiative, recalling that "behind every young player there may be the next great champion".