San Diego FC's Right to Dream Academy officially opens in North America
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- A program for student-athletes that combines elite football training with rigorous education has officially opened its first location in North America.
The San Diego FC Academy, which is part of the global Right to Dream program, officially opened last Friday in San Diego County, joining other existing establishments in Ghana, Denmark and Egypt.
The state-of-the-art facility was built on a 28-acre site on Sycuan tribal land in El Cajon, according to San Diego FC.
Sir Mohamed Mansour, chairman of San Diego FC and Right to Dream, said the program will provide full scholarships for all students and provides a pipeline for student-athletes to enter Major League Soccer.
"Like our existing academies in Ghana, Egypt and Denmark, the San Diego academy will prioritize character development and education as much as football," said Mansour. "Sport is the entry point, but the real mission is to help these young people to discover their potential, build their character, and pursue a meaningful life on or off the pitch."
The San Diego FC Academy launched this year with 17 student-athletes in its U-13 team for the 2025-2026 season. It aims to expand to include other age groups and girls' teams in the future, SDFC stated.
The inaugural roster is mostly comprised of participants from San Diego and Tijuana. It reflects the academy's commitment to developing talent in both the United States and Mexico as well as all across North America, the organization said.
