Latvian football federation opens central academy for under-14s with FIFA-backed coach

The Latvian Football Federation (LFF) has held the first training sessions at its new central football academy. The academy is running as a pilot in the 2026/27 school year and its first intake is players born in 2012, the under-14 age group, the LFF said. Selection and admission are still under way.

The idea is to bring the most talented young players together in one place and give them regular, high-quality training, while also looking after their development on and off the pitch.

Clubs stay, the academy adds

Players do not leave their clubs. They train regularly at the academy and have access to a range of specialists, but the rest of the time they play and train with their own teams. The programme is run together with youth clubs.

International tournaments and friendlies will supplement the daily training to prepare players for the next stages of their development and for Latvia's youth national teams. Players are picked through the LFF's regional centres and national training camps.

The academy's head coach is Paul Osam, a specialist the LFF brought in through FIFA.

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