Goal Programme - Fédération Togolaise de Football - 2002

Football is clearly the number one sport in Togo. The game is played nationwide, and at weekends, tens of thousands of people watch matches in the domestic league championship. The national team has qualified for the African Cup of Nations on five occasions (1972, 1986, 1998, 2000 and 2002), but has never reached the second round. Their recent qualification for the final competition of the FIFA World Cup? in Germany is therefore a major coup. In 1987, the U-20 team became the first, and to date last, Togolese side to play in world finals when it reached the FIFA World Youth Championship in Chile. The association has worked in conjunction with various institutions in Lomé to open youth development centres. The most well-known centre - Planète Football - is headed by French coach Dominique Cionci. Togo has produced many talented footballers. At the moment, the most famous players, who all play in Europe, are: Bachirou Salou (Hansa Rostock, Germany), Kossi Wazo Denkey (Chateauroux, France), Shéyi Emmanuel Adebayor and Kossi Agassa (both Metz, France).

At its meeting on 1 May 2003, the Goal Bureau approved a project to build a new technical centre and association headquarters in Kegue (Lomé). The project has been funded entirely by Goal and the FIFA Financial Assistance Programme. The Togolese Government has also pledged its support by donating land. The Togolese FA has invested a great deal of its FIFA Financial Assistance Programme funds in programmes to develop youth, school's and women's football. Goal nets and 3,000 balls have been distributed to teams and schools, and new competitions have been launched in women's football and at U-17 level.