Young footballers in the UAE will gain access to FC Bayern’s coaching methodology and player-development system through a new year-round academy launching in Dubai.
The FC Bayern Academy UAE, established under a licence granted by FC Bayern to GoldPrime FZCO, will operate from Amity University Dubai in Academic City and offer programmes for boys and girls from U5 to U16.
Rather than operating as a short-term camp or seasonal programme, the academy will maintain a permanent presence in the UAE. An FC Bayern-nominated coach will be based in the country throughout the year as Director of Coaching, overseeing the coaching team and ensuring the curriculum remains aligned with the German club’s methodology and standards.
Players identified as having high potential may also be assessed through FC Bayern’s scouting network and considered for international development opportunities in Munich, subject to the club’s selection criteria.
Year-round FC Bayern training comes to the UAE
Players will be able to train between one and five times per week, depending on their programme, with groups organised according to age and talent level.
Academy coaches will have access to FC Bayern’s training methodology and coach education content, alongside ongoing guidance designed to maintain the club’s development standards.
The approach is intended to give young players in the UAE consistent access to the club’s development system rather than limiting that exposure to individual camps or short-term visits.
FC Bayern looks to support talent development in the UAE
FC Bayern Munich’s Campus Director, Jochen Sauer, said:
“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.”
Talented players could enter FC Bayern pathway
The academy could also provide selected players with a route towards the wider FC Bayern Pathway.
High-potential players may be assessed through FC Bayern’s scouting network. Those meeting the club’s selection criteria could then be considered for international development programmes in Munich.
Selected players could potentially gain access to relevant programmes at the club’s Campus, including the FC Bayern Global Academy.
However, participation in the UAE academy does not automatically provide progression to Munich, with advancement remaining subject to FC Bayern’s assessment and selection process.
Two scholarships introduced for academy players
The FC Bayern Academy UAE will also introduce two scholarship programmes aimed at supporting player development.
The Performance Excellence Scholarship will target players demonstrating exceptional technical ability, game intelligence, athletic potential and long-term development prospects.
Meanwhile, the Future Champions Scholarship will support highly committed and ambitious players who could benefit from additional development opportunities.
Academy aims to create long-term opportunities
Mahmoud Abusway, Investor and Partner, FC Bayern Academy UAE, said:
“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.
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.”
Academy begins accepting players in Dubai
The launch adds another youth development programme to Dubai’s growing international sports landscape, bringing FC Bayern’s approach to a city with a diverse young population.
The FC Bayern Academy UAE is now accepting players, beginning its year-round presence at Amity University Dubai.
The programme will give young footballers the opportunity to begin their development locally while potentially working towards international opportunities through FC Bayern’s wider pathway.
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