Some of Dubai’s top football academies, including Manchester City, Barcelona and Juventus, have reopened their doors for training after weeks of closure due to COVID-19, while others like Real Madrid, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United are waiting for restrictions to ease on players under the age of 12.

Manchester City Football Schools, Barca Academy and Juventus Academy Dubai have already resumed training players in the 12-18 age group in accordance with the safety and preventive regulations approved by the Government of Dubai, as well as the guidelines issued by Dubai Sports Council.

Other prominent academies are waiting for the authorities to ease restrictions on players aged 12 and under. Chief among them are Real Madrid Foundation Football Academy, Liverpool Football Academy, Arsenal Soccer School, Manchester United Soccer School and AS Roma Academy.

In the first phase of reopening of sports facilities in the Emirate of Dubai, authorities have not permitted children below the age of 12 and people above the age of 60 to take part in sports activities at these facilities.

Dubai Sports Council is keen to support and provide all means of success for the sports academies sector, which includes hundreds of official and private academies, which are linked to sports clubs, sports federations and private sports institutions.

These academies offer training and coaching in more than 50 different sports, including football, tennis, basketball, karate, cricket, badminton and squash. The academies are distributed across the Emirate of Dubai and employ thousands of trainers, technicians, medical staff, fitness and nutrition specialists.

The academies cater to a huge and growing number of talented young athletes, and play an important role in grooming these talents for success in the future.