At WAFA, we take pride in developing young football talent with integrity and professionalism. However, we have recently discovered a troubling trend—our academy’s name is being misused on social media by scammers seeking financial gain at the expense of aspiring footballers.

To help address this issue, WAFA has welcomed Rick Woudenberg, an intern from the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, where he studies International Sport, Management, and Business. During his 10-week internship, Rick has been assigned several tasks, one of which was to investigate unauthorized social media accounts using the name WAFA or West African Football Academy.

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The Scale of the Problem

Rick’s research uncovered an alarming number of fake accounts—over 200 unofficial profiles on Facebook alone. Many of these accounts are actively used to scam young footballers, sometimes extracting thousands of dollars from hopeful players who believe they are securing a trial at WAFA.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated issue. Scams in football are common, especially in Africa, where fraudulent agents and intermediaries take advantage of players’ dreams. We regularly see players arriving at our academy after paying people who falsely claim to represent WAFA. These scammers use fake social media pages, posing as official WAFA representatives to deceive unsuspecting athletes.

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Our Message: Trials at WAFA Are Always Free

To be absolutely clear:

• WAFA does not charge any fees for trials.
• Trials at WAFA are by invitation only.
• Any individual or organization demanding payment for WAFA trials is fraudulent.

If you are approached by someone claiming to offer trials at WAFA in exchange for money, please report it to us immediately.

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Next Steps: Fighting Back

We are currently exploring ways to tackle this issue and prevent more young players from falling victim to these scams. While social media companies have measures to report fake accounts, we also believe education and awareness are key. The best defense against these scams is vigilance and common sense.

To all aspiring footballers—if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always verify information through WAFA’s official channels, and do not trust third-party agents unless directly confirmed by us.

We remain committed to protecting our academy’s name and, more importantly, safeguarding the dreams and futures of young footballers.

For official WAFA updates, follow our verified channels and stay informed.

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Photos by Rudi Arlt on Pixabay and Szabo Viktor on Unsplash.