Safaricom’s Shooting Stars App Uses AI to Scout Football Talent From Grassroots

Kenyan telecom giant Safaricom, in partnership with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), has launched a groundbreaking mobile application dubbed Shooting Stars. The app allows coaches and scouts at the grassroots level to upload short video clips of players during local matches. An integrated AI algorithm then analyzes the clips for key performance indicators like speed, ball control, positioning, and decision-making, generating a preliminary talent score. FKF President Nick Mwendwa hailed the initiative as a game-changer for democratizing talent discovery. For years, talent in remote areas went unseen. This tech brings the scout’s eye to every dusty pitch in the country, Mwendwa stated. The pilot program will roll out in ten counties over the next six months, with top-scoring players invited to regional academies.