Rwanda’s football development has been dealt a huge blow after INEOS Europe’s project to set up a state-of-the-art football academy that was expected to be built in Rwanda, was cancelled, Times Sport can confirm.

The academy, which was a result of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in May 2019 between Rwanda Football Association (Ferwafa) and INEOS Europe, was expected to give young footballers from Rwanda the opportunity to reach their full potential at a world-class facility in their home country.

Under the agreement, the local football governing body, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Sports, was supposed to secure land on which the facility will be set up while the European chemical company, which is owned by Britain’s richest man Jim Ratcliffe, would fund the construction works.

However, the football governing body’s Secretary-General, François-Régis Uwayezu, confirmed to Times Sport that the Football Academy project was cancelled after the firm’s business suffered financial setbacks related to the covid-19 pandemic.

"INEOS cancelled the project because of the economic impact of Covid-19 on their business,” said Uwayezu in an interview last week.

The academy was expected to have 2-3 sized grounds both synthetic and natural surfaces, some five a side pitches and a high-performance centre, according to the plan while it would also include amenities such as a gym, medical section, tutoring departments, offices, laundry, dining and social section, accommodation for up to 96 youngsters as well as security and administration facilities.

The proposed INEOS Football Academy would have been the first of its kind in the country, and one of the very few in the region but Uwayezu said it was a big loss to see Rwanda miss out on such a big project which was expected to nurture talented footballers in the country and region.

"There won’t be a second chance to resume the project with INEOS in the future,” he said.