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Ikon Allah Football Academy, the Kaduna-based grassroots football development centre that produced Nigerian teenage sensation Zadok Yohanna, is preparing a talent-discovery tournament in Abuja to connect promising young players with professional clubs in Europe.
The academy’s president, Ayi Mohammed, disclosed this in Kaduna on Tuesday during an interview with sports journalists, saying the competition would give emerging footballers an opportunity to showcase their abilities before international scouts and club representatives.
Mohammed said the tournament, scheduled for November 11 to 16, was part of the academy’s sustained efforts to identify talented players and create pathways for them to progress to professional football.
“We used to do this competition four times a year. We have different batches, and we invite scouts from Europe and several other countries,” he said. Blueprint reports
According to him, the academy has built relationships with international football stakeholders and uses competitive matches to expose its players to opportunities beyond Nigeria.
The forthcoming tournament comes as Yohanna’s progression from Kaduna to Swedish club AIK and subsequently English Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion has drawn attention to the academy’s player-development programme.
From Kaduna to Brighton: The Zadok Yohanna example
Yohanna’s rise has become a prominent example of how grassroots football can provide a pathway to the international game.
Born in Bauchi State, the youngster joined Ikon Allah Football Academy in Kaduna as a teenager while pursuing his ambition of becoming a professional footballer.
His development at the academy eventually brought him to the attention of Swedish club AIK, which signed him in 2025. His performances subsequently attracted interest beyond Sweden, culminating in his move to Brighton in June 2026.
The transfer strengthened the academy’s reputation as a grassroots centre capable of identifying and developing players for opportunities abroad.
Mohammed expressed confidence that the academy could produce another player of Yohanna’s calibre, saying it remained committed to discovering promising youngsters and giving them access to international scouting opportunities.
“Of course, definitely,” he said when asked whether the academy could produce another player of similar potential.
Yohanna’s success does not guarantee that another player will achieve the same level of progress, but his journey offers a practical example of what can happen when talent development is combined with access to international clubs.
Mohammed also claimed that more than 50 players from the academy had secured opportunities in Europe over the years, attributing the progress to its scouting activities and relationships with foreign football stakeholders.
Fitness and preparation ahead of tournament
Mohammed said the academy was concentrating on the players’ physical fitness and mental readiness ahead of the Abuja competition.
He explained that attracting scouts was only one part of the process, adding that players needed to be adequately prepared to take advantage of the opportunity.
Beyond technical ability, young footballers seeking professional contracts must demonstrate tactical awareness, discipline, decision-making and the capacity to perform under competitive pressure.
The academy hopes its preparations will help its players deliver strong performances before visiting scouts and club representatives.
However, Mohammed did not provide a final list of participating teams, identify the European clubs expected to attend or disclose the complete match schedule.
Training pitch expected by December
Beyond the tournament, Mohammed said the academy was working towards completing its own training pitch by December to strengthen its facilities and improve the environment for player development.
A dedicated playing surface would give the academy greater control over training schedules and provide a more consistent setting for technical drills, tactical sessions, fitness work and match preparation.
The project is part of the academy’s broader effort to improve its grassroots football infrastructure as it continues to develop young players for competitive opportunities.
Mohammed did not disclose the cost of the project, its specifications or the funding arrangements but expressed optimism that the facility would be ready before the end of the year.
The planned pitch, alongside the academy’s scouting activities, could support its efforts to develop more players capable of attracting interest from professional clubs.
For now, the immediate focus is on the November tournament, where the academy’s youngsters will have another opportunity to demonstrate their abilities before international representatives.
With Yohanna’s rise to the Premier League providing a prominent example of what the academy can achieve, Mohammed is hopeful that another promising Nigerian footballer will emerge from its programme.
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