NEXTGEN Africa Team is a structured pathway that brings promising U18 and U19 players from across Africa into one selected team. The process begins with five days of training, assessment and trial matches in Conakry, followed by a competitive tournament for the final 25. Scouts and agents continue observing players during the tournament, allowing performance to be assessed across training, trial matches and repeated competition. Families should read the two official one page guides in order before applying.
Limited sponsored preselection places
The standard preselection programme fee is USD 699. A limited number of sponsored places may be awarded to players whose recent video evidence is strong enough for NEXTGEN to verify their level before the event, or to players identified directly by clubs, scouts or advisors in the NEXTGEN network. Players awarded one of these places do not pay the USD 699 preselection fee. To support a fair assessment, applicants should submit clear recent highlights and, whenever possible, full match footage that makes the player easy to identify and shows their position, decisions, movement and performance over time. Strong footage improves the evidence available for review but does not guarantee sponsorship, selection or any later opportunity; every sponsored place is confirmed individually and in writing.
NEXTGEN Africa Team is the main programme identity. SOAR Academy is the host and organizer in Guinea, and Hotel Mariador Palace is the accommodation base.
Two steps. Read them in this order.
Start with the preselection guide. The second guide explains what happens only for the final 25 players who stay and compete in the first tournament.
Players born from 2008 to 2011 can apply. The standard USD 699 programme includes Hotel Mariador Palace accommodation, meals, local transport, training, trial matches, medical, welfare and safeguarding support. International flights are excluded. A limited number of verified players or players identified by the network may receive a written sponsored place and pay no preselection fee. More than 20 scouts and agents are expected, and the final 25 continue to the tournament.
The final 25 form the NEXTGEN Africa Team and enter SOAR’s Next Generation Tournament with no second tournament fee. Eight confirmed teams compete over five days, with 18 matches expected and approximately four to five matches per team. Scouts and agents continue evaluating the players in competitive match conditions, giving them repeated evidence beyond the preselection phase. Hotel, meals, scheduled local transport, medical, welfare, safeguarding and team support are included; international flights remain excluded. After the tournament, selected players may continue into the January to May 2027 development and opportunity pathway.
What happens after the tournament
From January to May 2027, selected players may continue through development monitoring, suitable elite U18/U19 event targets, further evaluation and possible club opportunities. Selection, scout attendance and visibility never guarantee a trial, visa, registration, transfer or professional contract.