UAE Ministry of Sports partners with Precision Football, PlayerMaker to unearth talent

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

The UAE Ministry of Sports is pleased to announce two new strategic partnerships with Precision Football and PlayerMaker to strengthen the country’s talent identification ecosystem through the UAE School Games & UAE University Games.

Organized by the UAE Sports Federation for the Institutions of School and University Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and other partners, the University Games will conclude on Sunday, while the School Games will wrap up their competitions in next May.

This initiative marks a significant milestone in the ministry’s long-term vision to create a world-class pipeline for prominent athlete identification across the UAE.

Under these partnerships, Precision Football will lead scouting operations for football, while PlayerMaker will oversee talent identification across seven other sports. Each provider will operate independently within their respective domain, bring deep expertise and cutting-edge technology to support data-driven scouting and athlete evaluation.

The partnerships will be piloted at the upcoming finals of the UAE University Games and UAE School Games. Experienced scouts will provide qualitative evaluation of the potential talents that will be supported by competition video recording and professional wearables to collect quantitative data for further analysis.

To further enhance the level of scouting expertise across the UAE sports, the providers will run bespoke educational and practical workshops before the start of the School Games finals.

“The partnerships are a critical step forward in our mission to professionalize the talent development system in the UAE,” said Sheikh Suhail Al Maktoum, Secretary General of the UAE Sports Federation for the Institutions of School and University Education, Chairperson of the UAE Committee for Talent & National Sports Support.

“By working with leading global scouting providers, we are ensuring that young athletes across the country are seen, assessed, and given a pathway to develop their potential through the national sports system.”

By partnering with specialized providers, the Ministry is laying the foundation for a modern, data-led approach to scouting. This initiative will not only improve how talent is identified today but also transform how the next generation of athletes is supported and developed across the nation.

“We are truly honoured and excited to partner with the UAE Ministry of Sports on this landmark initiative,” said Sonny Cobbs, Founder and CEO of Precision Football.

“To be recognised as one of the leading development programs in the region is both humbling and a testament to the hard work and passion we bring to developing young athletes, both Male and Female of all ages. At Precision Football, we are proud to be at the forefront of the industry, and we remain deeply committed to nurturing the future stars of tomorrow.

“Through this collaboration, we look forward to playing a key role in shaping the next generation of talent and ensuring long-term success for many years to come.”

Steve Barrett, VP of sports performance at PlayerMaker said "We are delighted to be partnering with the Ministry of Sport and look forward to supporting them in their vision to identify talented youth athletes in the region. Our extended team encompassing Olympic champions, national team coaches, scouts and experts in Talent ID, will allow us to provide expert opinion for the ministry."

These partnerships mark the starting point of a broader rollout, with plans to expand scouting efforts across academies and other competitive environments ensuring a comprehensive, ecosystem-wide approach to talent identification in the UAE.