African Coaches Connect Partners Athletica FNT as Major Host for 2026 African Football Convention in Casablanca
African Coaches Connect (ACC) has announced a landmark partnership with Athletica FNT Club, one of Casablanca’s leading sports complexes, as a Major Host Partner for the African Football Convention scheduled to hold from January 5 to 9, 2026, in Casablanca, Morocco.
The collaboration marks a significant step in ACC’s mission to drive transformational sporting engagement, strengthen football infrastructure, and deepen community participation across Africa.
Situated in the Sidi Mohamed–Ain Sebaa district of Casablanca, Athletica FNT is a premier sports and wellness destination located on Boulevard de Makro, Beausite.
The expansive facility boasts world-class amenities, including football pitches for futsal, 5-, 7-, and 11-a-side games, gymnasiums, multi-sport courts, fitness zones, aquatic facilities, and lifestyle spaces designed to serve both recreational users and professional athletes.
Speaking on the partnership, ACC President and Founder, Eldred Sunju-Abbey, described Athletica FNT as a model environment for African football development.
“Athletica FNT has a strong reputation for fostering community sport, wellness, and large-scale events. Its inclusive approach, blending training, leisure, and competition has positioned it as a cornerstone of Casablanca’s active lifestyle ecosystem,” Sunju-Abbey said.
“FNT represents the type of high-performance environment Africa needs for the next phase of football development. Our visit revealed the depth of their infrastructure, professionalism, and commitment to excellence, and we are delighted to align the African Football Convention with an institution that places innovation, development, and athlete welfare at its core.”
Athletica FNT is led by Youssef Zmez, a passionate advocate for youth empowerment and sports development in Morocco and across Africa.
His vision closely aligns with ACC’s objectives of elevating coaching standards, creating enabling environments for athlete growth, and promoting excellence at all levels of the game.
Zmez’s support for ACC initiatives, including grassroots coaching clinics and continental knowledge exchanges, played a key role in cementing the partnership.
In his remarks, Zmez emphasized sport’s power as a unifying force and expressed pride in hosting one of Africa’s foremost football leadership gatherings.
Under his leadership, Athletica FNT has consistently engaged local and international partners to deliver events that contribute meaningfully to the wider sports ecosystem.
ACC’s engagement for the convention has been driven by its President, Eldred Sunju-Abbey, alongside the Executive Director of Operations, Adedeji-Ajoje Israel. Their collaboration with Zmez and the Athletica FNT management team, including Alaa Zmez and Mr. Samir, reflects a shared commitment to empowering coaches, building strategic partnerships, and leveraging football as a tool for professional and community development.
The African Football Convention 2026 will feature a comprehensive five-day programme, including coaching and safeguarding workshops, discussions on football regulations and innovation, thought-leading conference sessions, stakeholder engagements, and an official dinner celebrating key contributors to African football.
The convention will conclude with a football competition hosted on Athletica FNT’s state-of-the-art pitches.
The partnership with Athletica FNT significantly strengthens the convention’s footprint in North Africa and reinforces ACC’s strategy of forging impactful collaborations that deliver lasting value to coaches, players, and football communities across the continent.
With both organizations aligned in vision and purpose, the 2026 African Football Convention is poised to be one of the most influential football gatherings in Africa’s sporting history.
