After the conclusion of the 2024/2025 football season, a local talent scouting tournament is set to be hosted in Kigali to shine a spotlight on Rwanda’s emerging football players who are yet to break into the top-tier leagues.

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Organised by international referee Jean-Claude Ishimwe, the Esperance Football Tournament will feature 19 amateur teams from across the country, including Sports Khadaf, Golden Generation, Kimonyi, Vinoda, Brésil, Mahama FC (representing refugees from Mahama camp), We Never Know, and Gatoto FC.

Other participating teams include Travel Line, Zone FC, Spak Victory, All Stars, Dream Team, Kamonyi FC, La Jeunesse FC, and Soaring Eagle FC. The teams will be divided into four groups for the group stage of the tournament.

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Scheduled to run from June 14 to July 5 at Kigali Pelé Stadium, the tournament aims to provide a platform for uncapped players to showcase their talent in front of scouts and football stakeholders.

In addition to the men’s competition, the tournament will also feature four women’s teams

The top two teams from each group will progress to the quarter-finals, with the tournament culminating in a final match where the champions will be crowned.

Individual brilliance will also be celebrated, with awards for Best Player, Top Scorer, and Best Goalkeeper. A "Man of the Match" will be announced after every game.

Winners will walk away with cash prizes: Rwf 1 million for the champions, Rwf 500,000 for the runners-up, and Rwf 300,000 for the third-place team.