Morning
- Wake and breakfast.
- A coaches' session for the international players only — tactics, positioning, the details.
- Shower and refuel.
Program · Silves, Algarve · Portugal
SilvesFC
InternationalProgramme.
Earn your place in the founding class. Take control of your footballing destiny inside a Portuguese club that has worn the same badge since 1919.
Since 1919
Samecity.
Samestands.
In 1919, a group of young men built a football club and gave it the name of their city. The badge has never changed: the castle that watches over Silves, the River Arade running beneath it, the letters S.F.C.
Black and white since the first match. Pull on this badge and you join all of it.
League structure
Whereyou'llplayinthePortuguesepyramid.
A.F. Algarve 1ª Divisão · Tier 5
One promotion away from the Campeonato de Portugal. Real league football inside the national pyramid.
You start in the B-team
The first team is strictly earned. Nothing here is handed over.
20+ official matches
League and cup football from August to June, with every match filmed on VEO for your future recruitment.
Liga Portugal BetclicTier 1
Liga Portugal 2Tier 2
Liga 3Tier 3
Campeonato de PortugalTier 4
A.F. Algarve 1ª Divisão · Silves FCTier 5
A.F. Algarve 2ª DivisãoTier 6
The rhythm
YourweekatSilves.
Afternoon
- Structured downtime.
- Dedicated hours for online university commitments.
- Language courses, tactical video analysis or physical recovery.
Evening
- Train with the squad. The first team trains here too.
Weekend
- Match day. You play.
Where you live
YourbaseintheAlgarve.
Where you live
- The residence is across the road from the stadium.
- Pitch, gym, study hall and physio — all on foot.
- Three meals a day.
The Algarve
- One of Europe's safest and most welcoming regions.
- 300 days of sun a year.
- 45 minutes from Faro airport.
- Easy to focus on football.
Three clubs · One network
Oneyearhere.Threewaysforward.
Set on the US college route?
We can help you get there too. Our partner handles placement and recruitment into the American college system — so you keep playing while you earn your degree.
The team
Thepeoplebehindit.
Owners & Founders
Bader & Amer Al-Akkad
- Phoenix United CEO & Sporting Director.
President of Silves FC
Carlos Placa
- Leading the club since 2020.
- Focused on its centenary identity and its future.
Brand Ambassador
Danny Simpson
- Premier League winner.
Head of Recruitment
Ruben Rodriguez
- Played college football in the US.
- Since 2020 has placed 150+ players into American university programmes.
What's included
Everythingtheseasonasksfor.
Football programme
- Daily training with UEFA-licensed coaches.
- Official player registration with the Portuguese FA.
- Weekly matches in the national league pyramid.
- Unrestricted access to the strength & conditioning gym.
- Official Silves FC kit — training, travel, matchday.
Performance & exposure
- Every match filmed and reviewed on VEO.
- Tactical sessions specific to international players.
- One-to-one development reviews.
- Creation of your personal highlight reel.
Living & support
- Full accommodation in the Algarve.
- Three meals a day — Mediterranean diet.
- Private health insurance for training and matches.
- Physiotherapy and injury management.
- On-site player welfare, 24/7.
Logistics
- Visa and residency paperwork management.
- Faro airport transfers.
- Transport to training, gym and matches.
- Daily Portuguese lessons.
- Weekly laundry.
15
Fifteen international spots.
That is the exact number open for this inaugural season at Silves. The founding class enters once — and the door does not open again this year.
- Quality before quantity. If only seven players meet the standard of this club, the Founding Class will be exactly seven. We do not fill spots to make up the numbers.
- Being one of the first means more than the founding class status. The full details are reserved exclusively for those who make the final roster.
Silves · Founding Class 2026/27
Book your evaluation call.
See if you meet the standard for our squad. Pick a time below and we'll speak directly.