Houet: Badenya FC wins the first edition of the U17 Espoir Challenge tournament. The Badenya FC team won, on Saturday, August 16, 2025, in Bobo-Dioulasso, the grand final of the first edition of the Challenge Espoir U17 tournament, beating Colma AC by one goal to zero.
According to Burkina Information Agency, this first edition began on July 5th under the patronage of the Minister of the Environment, Water and Sanitation, Roger Baro, with the participation of 16 teams from Houet. After more than a month of competition, the final was contested over two 25-minute periods by the two top teams.
The decisive moment came in the second half when Badenya FC managed to break the deadlock with an own goal from the opposing team. Maintaining their lead until the final whistle, Badenya FC lifted the trophy for this inaugural edition.
Tournament promoter Isma«l Traor©, also known as Cla and president of the Houet football district, expressed his satisfaction with the tournament's success. He emphasized that the U17 Espoir Challenge is designed to engage children during the holidays while instilling fundamental football skills. Traor© noted the significant public turnout and remarked, "To develop a player technically, you start at the basics."
Minister Roger Baro, present at the event, extended his congratulations to the promoter and participants. He highlighted the importance of sports in youth development, stating, "Young people are hungry for sport and a healthy mind. We will encourage the promoter to continue this work because healthy, fulfilled, and thriving youth are essential for tackling development projects."
Following the final, both finalist teams were awarded prizes. Colma AC, despite their loss, received a set of jerseys, bibs, cones, a ball, and a financial envelope of 100,000 CFA francs. Badenya FC, as tournament champions, were awarded the trophy, along with a similar set of sports equipment and a cash prize of 150,000 CFA francs.
The U17 Espoir Challenge, aiming to regularly promote young talent, successfully delivered on its promises in this first edition, signaling a promising future for youth football training in Houet.
