ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Spanish football giant Real Madrid is set to open a youth football academy in Erbil this August, the club’s spokesperson in Iraq confirmed to Rudaw on Sunday.
“Our efforts to open Real Madrid academy are progressing well. We aim to build a high-quality stadium and sports infrastructure in Erbil that reflect the Real Madrid name,” said Naeem Saddam.
The academy “will be dedicated to train children aged 6 to 14 years and will follow the same training programs and methodology used by Real Madrid in Spain,” Saddam elaborated, emphasizing, “We will work in Erbil in the same way.”
Saddam added that the academy’s inauguration will see the attendance of a team representative.
“We want to nurture good talent,” he added. “Real work has begun!”
The development follows the establishment of Real Madrid’s first football academy in Iraq in October 2023.
The Real Madrid Foundation operates over 70 academies across 40 countries.
These programs not only aim to develop football skills but also emphasize values such as tactical intelligence, resilience, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Part of the Foundation’s fees supports global initiatives for at-risk and underprivileged youth.
In recognition of its impact, the Foundation received the inaugural Laureus Sport for Good Society Award in 2022.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid’s longtime rival, FC Barcelona, announced earlier in May that it will open six academies across northeast Syria (Rojava) and the Kurdistan Region.
The initiative includes locations in Erbil and Sulaimani in the Kurdistan Region, and in Kobane, Hasakah, Raqqa, and Tiberspiye in Syria.
Participating groups will attend regular football school sessions starting in June and continuing through October 2026, with two major gatherings scheduled for early 2026.
FC Barcelona said in its May announcement, that its initiative aims to promote social cohesion and prevent future violence and radicalization among youth - especially children of Islamic State victims (ISIS) - through football schools that emphasize peacebuilding, dialogue, and coexistence.