e& partners with City Football Schools to support Talented Player Programme

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

e& (formerly known as Etisalat Group), one of the world’s leading technology and investment conglomerates and Manchester City’s official telecommunications partner, has on Wednesday announced a partnership with City Football Schools (CFS) to support the Talented Player Programme (TPP).

Launched in 2019, the programme provides a platform for young footballers aged 11-16 across Abu Dhabi and Dubai to fulfil their potential under the guidance of expert coaches from City Football Schools. The TPP has seen over 50 players transition through the programme in the last three years and develop into elite environments.

With the support of e&, and through a combination of advanced coaching techniques and competitive matches both locally and internationally, the programme gives the young players multiple opportunities to develop their talent as well as travel and train at CFG clubs around the world.

e& is working closely with Manchester City to contribute to the development of the next generation of sports athletes to become successful sports stars of tomorrow. By partnering with Manchester City Football Schools and the TPP, this will take the country to an international level as the programme seeks to maximise the potential of talented players.

TPP is the right platform for the immense young sports talent that is seen in UAE, giving players access to expert coaches as well as global opportunities that will see them thrive.

Simon Hewitt, Senior Manager Football Education MENA, said: “Since the Manchester City Football School launched in 2011 in Abu Dhabi, it has seen over 10,000 players take part in around 50,000 sessions and the Talented Player Programme has been a hugely successful part of our delivery in the UAE. Through the programme, players have signed for professional academies in the UAE, UK, Italy, Spain and Egypt, including one player at our very own Manchester City.

“We are excited that this platform opens new horizons for players to excel and with the support of e&, we are confident that we will see more success stories in the years to come.”

e& has been the Official Telecommunications Partner of Manchester City since 2009, with the agreement recently extended for a sixth term. The support of the Talented Player Programme is the latest activity between the two organisations throughout the duration of the partnership, which has spanned various areas of the club’s offerings, including Manchester City’s men’s and women’s teams, esports, content and digital.  

Manchester City FC is an English Premier League club initially founded in 1880 as St Mark’s West Gorton. It officially became Manchester City FC in 1894 and has since then gone on to win the European Cup Winners’ Cup, eight League Championship titles, including six Premier League titles (2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), and six FA Cups. Manchester City FC is one of 12 clubs comprising the City Football Group and counts New York City FC, Melbourne City FC among its sister clubs.

Under manager Pep Guardiola, one of the most highly-decorated managers in world football, the Club plays its domestic and UEFA Champions League home fixtures at the Etihad Stadium, a spectacular 55,000 seat arena that City have called home since 2003. Today, the Stadium sits on the wider Etihad Campus, which also encompasses the City Football Academy, a state-of-the-art performance training and youth development facility located in the heart of East Manchester. Featuring a 7,000 capacity Academy Stadium, the City Football Academy is also where Manchester City Women’s Football Club and the Elite Development Squad train on a daily basis and play their competitive home games.