Paris Saint-Germain to hold its inaugural Academy Cup in Brazil

Joined by club legends Maxwell and Rai, more than 700 youngsters aged seven to 13 will take part in the first Paris Saint-Germain Academy Cup Brazil powered by Universal Orlando Resort TM, to be held in Rio de Janeiro from 30 October to 2 November. The final of the competition will be played at the legendary Maracanã Stadium.

Celebratory in nature, this new competition is the biggest ever held within the Paris Saint-Germain football academy network and follows a season of strong growth for the Paris Saint-Germain Academy in Brazil.

The programme now welcomes more than 4,000 children, an increase of more than 470% in a year thanks to the opening of eight new centres across the country. The Paris Saint-Germain Academy is now present at 13 sites in 10 cities (Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Recife, Salvador, Vitoria, Brasilia, Porto Alegre, Sumaré, Guarulhos and Vale dos Sinos). Brazil now has the second largest number of Paris Saint-Germain academies after France, with two new centres due to open in Natal and Fortaleza in the north of the country in 2019.

“The Paris Saint-Germain Academy in Brazil is growing in popularity,” said Fabien Allègre, Paris Saint-Germain’s Director of Merchandising and Brand Diversification. “The event promises to be one big celebration, with a dream final at the Maracanâ attended by all the children and club legends Maxwell and Rai. We are delighted to give the youngsters of Brazil this unique opportunity to live their passion for football to the full and to perfect their skills all year round with coaches trained by Paris Saint-Germain. As is the case in Brazil, the Paris Saint-Germain Academy continues to grow around the world, to the delight of our ever-increasing army of young fans.”

The Paris Saint-Germain Academy Cup in Brazil will begin with an opening ceremony held at the Riocentro. The tournament proper commences the following day with the group matches, which will run through to 1 November and will be held at the Rio Sport Center, in the suburb of Barra da Tijuca. During the tournament, the youngsters will also visit some of Brazil’s most famous cultural sites, such as the statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado Mountain, and the Brazilian National Football Team Museum. The final phase of the competition will take place on 2 November, along with the trophy ceremony, at the iconic Maracanã Stadium. A closing ceremony will then be held at the Riocentro.

About the Paris Saint-Germain Academy

The Paris Saint-Germain Academy is a football academy open to all youngsters – boys and girls – between the ages of five and 16. As of the start of the 2018/19 season, it is present in 14 countries (France, Brazil, Canada, USA, Great Britain, Portugal, Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Lebanon, China, Turkey and Australia) at 70 centres open all year round and more than 150 seasonal camps.

The centres welcome nearly 12,000 children in all, half of them outside France. A genuine success story, the Paris Saint-Germain Academy reflects the growing appeal of the club both in France and abroad.

Its centres employ nearly 250 coaches trained by the club and offering high-quality training and supervision founded on the values of excellence, fun and fair play, and promoting a desire to discover new things and fulfil one’s potential. The coaching laid on by the Paris Saint-Germain Academy is that of a major European club recognised the world over. In attending the centres all year round or as part of holiday camps, children receive quality coaching steeped in the philosophy of Paris Saint-Germain.

The Paris Saint-Germain Academy forms an integral part of the club’s international development strategy and seeks to bring the Paris Saint-Germain experience to young generations around the world.

Media contact

Nicolas Serres

Corporate & Brand Communications Manager

+33 6 58 22 44 23 / nserres@psg.fr

Joseph Oakeshott

International Communications

+33 7 88 69 13 93 / joakeshott@psg.fr