Arabian Falcons FC launches Premier League-style academy in Dubai

Arabian Falcons FC has launched Arabian Falcons Academy in Dubai, opening what the club calls a Premier League-standard pathway for players ages 6 to 16. The academy starts with a free trial week Aug. 24-28 at JA Sports Complex and is designed to feed talent into the first team and beyond.

Why it matters: - Arabian Falcons FC is trying to create a direct route from grassroots football to senior football in the UAE. - The academy is built to mirror the first team’s structure, coaching standards and culture. - The project gives Dubai families a new development pathway that the club says did not previously exist in the region. - The launch also aligns with the UAE’s National Sports Strategy 2031 and the country’s push to grow participation and strengthen grassroots sport.

What happened: - Arabian Falcons FC launched Arabian Falcons Academy on Aug. 21 in Dubai. - The academy opens with a free trial week from Aug. 24-28 at JA Sports Complex. - Official training begins Sept. 1. - The program will run Monday through Friday for two age bands: U6s to U11s and U12s to U16s. - Academy teams will also compete in the Youth Football League every Sunday from the first weeks of the program.

The details: - The academy is integrated with the senior club and will follow the same badge, standards and coaching philosophy as the first team. - The first team is led by manager Jonjo Shelvey, player-coach Danny Simpson, captain Ravel Morrison, co-owner and Head of Football Operations Jason Puncheon and Sporting Director Harry Agombar. - Shelvey has more than 250 Premier League appearances for Liverpool, Swansea City and Newcastle United, plus six England caps. - Simpson made more than 300 professional appearances, including 178 in the Premier League, and won the title with Leicester City in 2015/16. - Morrison has played top-flight and senior football across four continents and earned 20 caps for Jamaica. - Puncheon played for Crystal Palace and Southampton and scored in the 2016 FA Cup Final. - Agombar came through Arsenal and Tottenham academies and is 33. - The club’s collaboration with Brooke House FC is intended to create an international route for graduates, including UK trial windows and exposure in USL League Two in the U.S. - Arabian Falcons FC said the academy is part of a wider club expansion that includes a full rebrand, a new badge, Morrison’s contract extension and Simpson’s arrival as a marquee summer signing. - The club is based in Dubai and is targeting promotion to the UAE First Division, with longer-term ambitions that include continental competition and a place in the FIFA Club World Cup. - A behind-the-scenes documentary will continue to follow the club this season. - Academy enrollment is open through Arabian Falcons Academy’s official channels. - Academy details list training at 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. during the free trial week. - Academy details also reference fixtures in the Youth Football League, National Pro League and Dofa.

Between the lines: - Arabian Falcons is marketing the academy as a credibility play, leaning heavily on the playing backgrounds of its senior staff. - The club is positioning the academy as more than a community program, with a direct line to the first team and a route into overseas opportunities. - The timing suggests the academy is part of a larger brand-building push as Arabian Falcons tries to move from local side to serious football project. - The launch also fits the UAE’s broader strategy to professionalize pathways for young athletes.

What's next: - Families can register for the free trial week now. - The academy will begin full operations on Sept. 1. - The club’s first-team push for promotion and the academy’s first competitive fixtures will develop in parallel. - The documentary series will keep tracking the club’s progress through the season.

The bottom line: - Arabian Falcons FC is betting that Premier League experience, a direct pathway to the first team and international exit routes will make its Dubai academy stand out in a crowded youth market.