FC Porto to set up Dragon Force Academy in Sialkot

Partnership to provide young Pakistani players international-level training

Portugal's premier football club, FC Porto, will establish a football academy in Sialkot to train young Pakistani players under a partnership agreement.

FC Porto will establish the Dragon Force Academy at Sialkot Football Academy under the partnership agreement between the two sides, a statement from the Pakistan Embassy in Lisbon said on Tuesday.

Sialkot Football Academy is a flagship project of Forward Sports, the makers of the official FIFA World Cup football.

Under the agreement, FC Porto will undertake a comprehensive and intensive training programme for young Pakistani athletes, as well as develop coaches and managers.

This collaboration, the statement added, would offer talented young Pakistanis a unique opportunity for growth, both on and off the pitch, through an internationally recognised methodology.

FC Porto has established its Dragon Force Academy in 10 other countries so far, including Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Turkiye, Mozambique, India, Cape Verde and Cyprus.

"This partnership agreement constitutes a major initiative in sports diplomacy between Pakistan and Portugal facilitated by the Embassy of Pakistan that would contribute towards bringing the people of both countries closer together through their shared love of sports and of football," the statement concluded.

In a separate statement, FC Porto said it strengthens its international presence with a new football academy in Sialkot, which will become the club's new gateway to one of Asia's largest markets.

"With more than 250 million inhabitants, a young population and a GDP of over 400 billion dollars, Pakistan represents a market of significant scale and potential," it added.

"We are opening a new chapter for young talent in Pakistan. A chapter where dreams gain direction and potential finds an opportunity," the statement further said.