The Ligi Ndogo U15 team clinched the East Africa tournament after edging the Michael Olunga Football Academy 4-3 on post-match penalties at the Nairobi Polo Club over the weekend.
Ligi Ndogo had to confirm their win from the spot after wrestling MOFA to a barren draw inside regular time.
The tournament, which attracted a record-breaking 231 teams this year, featured renowned teams from across East Africa, including the defending champions Teletubbies Kids League (TKL) from Uganda and Future Stars from Tanzania.
Teletubbies Kids League dominated the under-7s and under-11s categories, while Future Stars fielded teams in three different categories.
With over 1000 young football players from various countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Ligi East Africa tournament has become a platform for nurturing young talent and promoting football development in the region.
This year’s event did not solely focus on football as fostering international collaboration in both sports and education was also on the menu.
The tournament teamed up with the America’s Woburn Youth Soccer Association (WYSA) to launch the Boots and Books program, a groundbreaking initiative that will bring together children from Kenya and the USA to enhance soccer skills and academic prowess.
Under this program, children from WYSA will donate gently-used books and outgrown soccer boots, which are then distributed to participants of the Ligi Ndogo East Africa tournament.
Chris Amimo, the Tournament Director, expressed delight with the new heights the tournament was hitting and emphasized the importance of providing opportunities for young players to showcase their skills and pursue their dreams of becoming professional football stars.
He highlighted Ligi Ndogo’s commitment to organizing countrywide tournaments as well.
