International player programme · Strive to Rise
An international player programme across Dubai, Manchester and Portugal — real league football, an accredited degree route and a global network.
Three environments. Two pathways. One network.
Partners & Network
Programs
The core football route runs from Dubai to Manchester and Silves in the Algarve. Each location is a real club environment, not a marketing brochure.
Two ways to join
Play seriously. Graduate alongside it.
Combine the football programme with an accredited university degree built around the demands of the football week.
Football first.
A football-only route for players whose priority is to push their game as far as they can.
About Us
Amer and Bader Al Akkad built Phoenix from Syrian foundations, Manchester roots and a Dubai future. The idea is simple: a player's entire future should not depend on one opportunity.
Phoenix United FC is a UAE FA licensed football club based in Dubai, built around competitive standards, a proper club culture and a wider international network. Phoenix Football Network sits alongside it to connect football, education and pathway conversations.
"A player's entire future should not depend on one opportunity."
The Coaches
Every session at Phoenix is led by staff who have lived the professional environment — from Premier League dressing rooms to international tournaments — and know exactly what a club looks for in a player.
A winger who spent his career in the English Championship and Premier League set-up with Sheffield United, Derby County and Nottingham Forest, and won 35 caps for Northern Ireland including Euro 2016. He now runs the daily coaching programme.
An experienced defender with a career spanning Sheffield United, Aston Villa and Burnley. Matt brings the standards and detail of elite English football into Phoenix's daily environment.
Bader sets the sporting standard across the club — squad selection, playing identity and the pathway conversations with partner clubs in England and Portugal. Syrian foundations, Manchester roots, Dubai base.
Our players
Phoenix United. Strive to Rise.
How it works
Tell us about the player: position, age, level, footage. It takes five minutes and lands directly with our recruitment team.
We do an evaluation and explore the option for a scholarship — your background, footage and ambitions reviewed by our team, with no obligation.
A full evaluation with a coach. We review footage together and map the realistic routes: Dubai, Manchester or Portugal.
You join a dedicated group with the family, the coach and the operations team. Everything — documents, dates, questions — in one place.
Visas, flights, registration, accommodation and arrival day handled end to end. You land, you train, the career begins.
FAQ
Everything you need to know before you send your video.
Players 17–24 who are serious about the professional game and unwilling to sacrifice their education or global network to get there.
The Ones Who Move First
20 spots for the opening season. The window closes in September. After that, the door stays shut for months.
