The first batch of players from the Katsina State Football Academy has departed Nigeria for a one-month training camp at FC Torpedo Zhodino in Minsk, Belarus.
The eight players were selected during the Malam Dikko Umaru Radda Scouting Tournament 2.0, which held from May 29 to June 4, 2026.
Chairman of the Katsina State Football Academy, Ahmed Mohammed, said Governor Radda, described as “The Ultimate Playmaker” for his investment in grassroots sports, initiated the tournament to discover and nurture football talents across the 34 local government areas of the state.
Mohammed disclosed that there is a strong possibility that some of the players will secure professional contracts with FC Torpedo Zhodino-Belaz after the training camp.
He listed three of the players in Batch A who departed as Abdullahi Aliyu, 18; Alhassan Muhammad Shariff, 18; and Ismail Nuhu, 20.
According to him, the remaining five players in Batch A, and Batch B comprising four other selected players, are expected to join the camp in Minsk soon.
The Chairman said the foreign training exposure is part of efforts by the Radda administration to create pathways for young footballers to play professionally and project the state’s talents globally.
He added that the initiative aligns with Governor Radda’s agenda of youth empowerment and sports development in Katsina.
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