Cameroon becomes first country to benefit from Cotton Partnership Textiles as FIFA Football for Schools launches

The Federation International of Football Association (FIFA) today launched of its Football for Schools programme in Cameroon, at the Bastos public school marking a major milestone at the intersection of football development, education, and the promotion of African production value chains.

Cameroon is now the very first country in the world to benefit from and use T-shirts and polo shirts produced under the “Cotton Partnership,” a joint initiative led in collaboration with the World Trade Organization (WTO).

This historic moment provides a tangible illustration of the partnership’s ambition: to process African cotton locally, create value across the continent, and support sustainable employment, while meeting the needs of a global educational programme.

The launch ceremony took place at Bastos Public School in Yaoundé, in the presence of Gelson Fernandes, Deputy Director of the Member Associations Division and FIFA Regional Director for Africa, Samuel Eto’o, President of FECAFOOT, as well as several legends of Cameroonian and African football, including Roger Milla, Rigobert Song, Alexandre Song, Emmanuel Maboang, Raymond Kalla, Stéphane Mbia, Jean II Makoun, and Khalilou Fadiga.

Through this launch, FIFA delivers on a dual ambition: deploying Football for Schools as a tool for education and inclusion, while bringing to life a structuring economic initiative for Africa.

The garments worn by children and educators during this first activity embody this vision, as they are directly sourced from an African textile production chain supported by the Cotton Partnership.

The rollout of the programme in Cameroon is supported by concrete resources aimed at ensuring lasting impact: the provision of 34,300 footballs, a financial contribution of USD 50,000 dedicated to local programme implementation, and access to the full range of educational content via the Football for Schools app.

During this inaugural day, around fifty children and fifteen educators took part in the first activities, laying the foundations for the programme’s development in the country.

Football for Schools aims to make football more accessible to young girls and boys, while embedding its core values at the heart of the education system.

By making Cameroon the first beneficiary of products from the Cotton Partnership, FIFA demonstrates how football can serve as a catalyst for development - social, educational, and economic - benefiting local communities.

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