Dubai is now home to an AC Milan academy as Italian football giant joins Real Madrid, Barcelona, Man City, PSG and more world-renowned football clubs to open a base in the city.
Dubai has continued to press further in consolidating its position as a preferred global destination for young sporting talent.
Now housing at least eleven international football clubs that have set up base, Dubai has been a preferred destination for selecting, attracting and developing talented people in various sports disciplines and for all nationalities.
Top football clubs in Dubai
According to Dubai Sports Council (DSC), this is in pursuance of the policy laid down by the Government of Dubai while attracting talented people in all spheres of life.
This is also in keeping with the DSC’s drive to attract, develop and hail the role of the private sector through talented people in various sports while providing all facilities and legislation supporting the promotion of investment in the sports field.
As per the latest figures, the number of international football academies hosted by Dubai has increased to eleven of the total 400 sports academies spread throughout the emirate.
These academies carry out their training activities to discover and develop young sports talents of varied ages and nationalities in more than 50 diverse sporting disciplines.
Among the most prominent international football clubs that have made Dubai their headquarters for their training academies are:
- Real Madrid
- Inter Milan
- Barcelona
- Ajax Amsterdam
- Greek Olympiacos
- Manchester City
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Juventus
- Spanish LaLiga
- Argentine Federation Academy
- AC Milan
It also confirms Dubai’s position as a leading investment destination for international clubs and investment in the sports sector in general.
Dubai has continued to attract more sports projects, thanks to its provisions of advanced infrastructure and a dynamic business environment that supports innovation and stimulates creativity.
Dubai is at the forefront of global cities in attracting and developing talent in all fields, as the Dubai Sports Council works according to an integrated policy to achieve this goal to attract and develop sports talent and create future champions in various sports who are raised on scientific foundations and under the supervision of specialised cadres and thoughtful strategies.
AC Milan announced the opening of a new AC Milan International Academy in Dubai, this week, in collaboration with Ball Beast Academy, a local startup that supports the development of projects promoting sports activities and empowerment for young footballers.
The creation of a new Academy in Dubai represents an important milestone in the club’s global expansion strategy, guided by RedBird Capital Partners.
This further demonstrates the focus and commitment to a key territory, confirmed by the opening of Casa Milan Dubai, the new Rossoneri headquarters in the Middle East, last November, and previously by the partnership with Expo 2020.
Already present in the area with the longest-running Academy, inaugurated 15 years ago in Kuwait and hosting over 5,000 boys and girls since then, AC Milan aims to leverage its expertise and experience to contribute to the generation of a healthy and excellent sports culture that reflects the principles of the Milan Method.
This is in a territory passionate about the Rossoneri colours: in the entire MEA (Middle East & Africa) region, AC Milan is the most supported Italian club and ranks in the top 10 worldwide, with approximately 2.5 million fans in the UAE alone.
AC Milan International Academy in the city is part of a network of over 100 Rossoneri Academies in Italy and internationally, which in the 2023/24 season offered programs led by approximately 2,500 AC Milan coaches and educators, involving over 20,000 boys and girls across three different continents.
