Members of the "Friends of Maracana at Félix Houphouët-Boigny University" (AM-UFHB) club participated in an intensive training session on the official rules of their sport on Friday, May 15, 2026, in Abidjan-Cocody. This initiative aimed to achieve two objectives: to promote peaceful play within the club and to prepare the team for future national competitions.

A return to basics and technical mastery

Led by expert Kipré Jean-Baptiste , this training first served to recall the origins of maracana, which was born on Ivorian university campuses in the 1970s.

The core of the session focused on assimilating the 14 laws of the sport . From the marking of the field to the specifics of the ball, including the crucial role of referees, the management of free kicks and the match protocol, no technical detail was left to chance.

No more tensions on the field!

For Professor Kra Kouassi Séverin , president of AM-UFHB, this upgrade had become essential to calm the training sessions.

"There are rules, and we very often had many disputes on the ground with colleagues. If we know the rules comprehensively and completely, there will be fewer disputes."

The frequent absence of referees during internal matches and a lack of familiarity with the rules were the main sources of misunderstanding. This deficiency has now been addressed.

Focus on national and federal competitions

Beyond internal discipline, this training program is a true strategic springboard. Recently structured (adoption of statutes on January 20, 2026 and election of a board), the club has great ambitions:

1. In the short term: Participate in the Friends of the Maracana tournament in Yamoussoukro, in partnership with INP-HB.
2. In the medium term: To officially join the Ivorian Federation of Maracana and Associated Disciplines ( FIMADA ).
3. In the long term: To align with federal competitions and bring back national trophies.

Preserving Ivorian heritage

Professor Kra Séverin also took the opportunity to raise the alarm about the future of this 100% Ivorian sport, as Brazil is already preparing to host the Maracana World Cup in 2028.

"The Ivorian Maracana is somewhat threatened, at risk of slipping from our grasp even though it is our property."

To counter this threat, he advocates for the widespread introduction of the sport in schools and universities. This vision is shared by Guiro Albert , vice-president of FIMADA, for whom the return of the sport to the Cocody campus is a true "return to its roots." According to him, university students must become the new ambassadors and transmitters of this heritage.

Thanks to this training, AM-UFHB is no longer content to just play: it is structuring itself to establish itself as an essential player in Ivorian maracana.