The 4th season of airtel Rising Stars has kicked off in Africa, as airtel extends the Africa wide platform for young promising football talent to showcase their skills. Open to both boys and girls between ages 13 – 17 who form teams, ARS is set to unveil even more talent this year.

Boasting of huge success stories in most, if not all the 17 African countries where several players have been picked to play for local club teams as well as their national teams, ARS this year promises to be even more exciting, with Seychelles joining the fray, while Congo B and Rwanda introduce female teams this year.

The season kicks off with international soccer clinics; 2 – 6 kids were selected during the 2013 ARS season in each country to attend prestigious training sessions. 12 countries (Gabon, Congo B, DRC, Kenya, Tanzania, Niger, Seychelles, Madagascar, Sierra Leone, Chad, Malawi and Burkina Faso) will undergo 1 week training by UEFA-certified coaches from the Manchester United Soccer Schools from 23rd to 27th April 2014 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, while 5 countries (Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, Rwanda and Uganda) will undergo training by UEFA –certified coaches from Arsenal Soccer Schools from 28th April to 2nd May 2014 in Kigali, Rwanda.

As a pilot session, this year will also see the same coaches from the Arsenal Soccer Schools run a 2 day Coach the Coaches session in Rwanda on 3rd and 4th of May 2014, where over 30 'under-17 team' coaches from different parts of Rwanda have been selected to attend.

airtel Rising Stars is set to run in each country up until July, when each country will put together a 'dream team' for boys and another for girls to compete in the 2014 ARS Africa Championship, set to take place in from 11th to 16th August 2014 in Gabon, wher the teams will be looking to take the crown from current champions, Niger Boys and Tanzania Girls.

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