Zurich, (Asian independent) Over 200 member associations across all confederations have signed up for FIFA’s first-ever Talent Development Programme. The list comprises, among others, the current men’s and women’s world champions, France and the USA respectively, as well as member associations that have never qualified for a FIFA tournament.
Launched in January 2020 by FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger, the programme aims to provide member associations with a thorough analysis of their high-performance ecosystem in both men’s and women’s football, including all national teams, domestic leagues, scouting projects and academies.
“The success of the programme will be based on good communication and a precise analysis of the needs of every member association so that we can deliver a report and provide tailor-made support,” said Wenger.
“We also want to create opportunities, for example through best practice models, in which member associations can learn from each other and have the possibility to think outside of the box and their own environment,” the legendary former Arsenal manager added.
According to FIFA, a group of 30 FIFA experts, including former USA women’s national team coach April Heinrichs, ex-England manager Steve McClaren and former Premier League Director of Football Development Ged Roddy, have been replacing their on-site visits with remote assessments and — based on online surveys and interviews — will produce a report for each of the member associations, thus mapping their technical ecosystems.
In 2021, FIFA will focus on the implementation of tailor-made technical programmes for each member association with a view to tackling potential challenges and maximising the comparative advantages that each association possesses.