Right to Dream Named ‘Best Academy’ at 2025 Globe Soccer Awards

Right to Dream has been named Best Academy at the 2025 Globe Soccer Awards, recognizing the organization’s long-term commitment to developing young talent and creating opportunities on and off the pitch.

Right to Dream Chairman Sir Mohamed Mansour accepted the award during the 16^th edition of the Globe Soccer Awards, held in Dubai at Atlantis The Royal. The award was presented by former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand at a ceremony attended by players, coaches, executives, and leaders from across the global game, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Ousmane Dembélé, and Luis Enrique.

After receiving the award, Sir Mohamed Mansour said:

“On behalf of our staff, coaches, teachers and students, I want to say how grateful we are to the organizers of the Globe Soccer Awards for this very special recognition.

“Right to Dream is more than a football academy. We are a global movement built on the belief that excellence is everywhere, but opportunity is not.

"It’s very special because we feel Right to Dream gives every young boy and girl a chance to dream and what can bring more dreams than football."

The Best Academy award has previously been presented to organizations such as Benfica and AFC Ajax, both widely recognized for their longstanding contributions to youth development. This year’s award recognizes Right to Dream’s unique model and the different approach it brings to the global football landscape.

A Model Built for Long-Term Development

The Right to Dream model brings together football, education, and character development through a holistic approach delivered across four academies in Ghana, Egypt, Denmark, and the United States, with the aim of supporting young people both on and off the pitch.

For more than 25 years, Right to Dream has created pathways for boys and girls to pursue their potential through multiple routes, whether into professional football, higher education, or both.

Through the pro football pathway, more than 100 Right to Dream graduates are playing pro football worldwide. Meanwhile, the education pathway has supported over 100 student-athletes in earning academic scholarships to leading schools and universities in the UK and the US.

A Year of Continued Growth

The recognition comes at the end of a landmark year for Right to Dream. In September 2025, a new Right to Dream academy opened in San Diego, California, marking another step in the organization’s global expansion. During the year, plans were also announced for the development of a new state-of-the-art facility in Ghana, scheduled to open in 2027, alongside continued growth across the academies in Denmark and Egypt.

Progress was also reflected at club level. San Diego FC reached the Western Conference Final in Major League Soccer in their inaugural season.

FC Masar Women won the Egyptian Women’s Premier League and reached the CAF Women’s Champions League semifinals for the second year in a row, while the men’s team secured promotion for a third consecutive year.

In Denmark, both the men’s and women’s teams at FC Nordsjælland continued to provide platforms for young talent and academy graduates to play professionally, with the women’s team reaching the UEFA Women's Europa Cup quarters.

Across continents and competitions, the focus has remained consistent: creating environments where young people are supported to grow, learn, and pursue their potential on and off the pitch.