FC Bayern has announced the establishment of the FC Bayern Academy UAE, bringing its football philosophy, coaching methodology and player-development standards directly to the United Arab Emirates.
The academy, established under a license granted by FC Bayern to GoldPrime FZCO, will launch at Amity University Dubai in Academic City and offer programs for boys and girls aged U5 to U16.
Unlike short-term football camps or seasonal programs, the academy will operate as a year-round program in the UAE. An FC Bayern-nominated coach will be based in the country throughout the year as director of coaching, overseeing the academy’s coaching team and ensuring its curriculum and player-development programs remain aligned with FC Bayern’s methodology and standards.
The academy will offer one to five training sessions per week, depending on the program, with players grouped according to age and talent level. Coaches will have access to FC Bayern’s training methodology, coach education content and ongoing guidance in accordance with FC Bayern’s standards.
FC Bayern Seeks To Develop UAE Football Talent
“We are delighted to have entered into an academy partnership of this kind in the Middle East with FC Bayern, the first Bundesliga club to do so. Football is becoming increasingly popular in the United Arab Emirates, particularly amongst children and young people. We want to use our expertise to support the development of talent and further boost enthusiasm for football in the country,” said Jochen Sauer, FC Bayern Munich’s Campus Director.
For talented players, the academy may also provide a route into the FC Bayern Pathway. High-potential players can be assessed through FC Bayern’s scouting network and, subject to the club’s selection criteria, considered for international development programs in Munich.
Selected players may potentially gain access to relevant FC Bayern programs at the club’s Campus, such as the FC Bayern Global Academy.
In addition, FC Bayern Academy UAE will introduce two academy scholarships: the Performance Excellence Scholarship, for players demonstrating exceptional technical ability, game intelligence, athletic potential and long-term development prospects; and the Future Champions Scholarship, for highly committed and ambitious players who would benefit from additional development support.
Academy Adds Scholarships And International Pathway
“Football has the power to shape ambition, discipline, confidence and character long before a player ever steps onto a professional pitch. With FC Bayern Academy UAE, we are bringing much more than one of the world’s most respected football names to the UAE. We are bringing FC Bayern’s philosophy of player development, its proven methodology, its standards of excellence and, most importantly, its commitment to developing young players for the long term,” said Mahmoud Abusway, Investor and Partner, FC Bayern Academy UAE.
“Our ambition is to create an environment where young players in the UAE can train to world-class standards, challenge themselves and begin to understand what their potential can truly become. Their journey may start here in the UAE, but there should be no limit to where their talent, discipline and ambition can take them.
“This agreement is about creating access, raising the standard of youth football and building a genuine pathway for the next generation. We want every player who walks onto our pitches to believe that something bigger is possible, and to give them the coaching, environment and opportunity to pursue it.”
The launch adds a new dimension to Dubai’s growing position as an international hub for sport and talent, bringing FC Bayern’s youth development approach to a city home to a highly diverse and international young population.
The FC Bayern Academy UAE is accepting players from now on, marking the start of a year-round youth development presence in the UAE and opening a new door for young footballers to begin their journey locally while pursuing opportunities on an international stage under the guidance of FC Bayern.
