Muscat: The headquarters of Oman Club hosted the official signing ceremony of an agreement to establish a Real Betis Academy in partnership with Oman Club, during an expanded press conference attended by a number of Their Excellencies, ambassadors and officials. The event was led by Francisco Javier de Isturiz, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to the Sultanate of Oman and Qais Saad al Ameri, Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to the Sultanate, alongside officials from the Oman Club and representatives of the Real Betis Academy.
This agreement is considered one of the most prominent international sports partnerships witnessed by the Omani sports scene in the field of youth development, clearly reflecting the direction of national clubs towards expanding cooperation with global football institutions and benefitting from European expertise in building a new football generation based on modern scientific foundations.
The conference also marked the official announcement of the launch of the Real Betis Academy branch in Oman, making it the academy’s 14th branch worldwide, a step that reflects the confidence of one of Spain’s most historic clubs in the Omani sports environment and its ability to host long-term professional projects.
The agreement focuses on establishing a high-level technical academy dedicated to developing players’ fundamental skills at an early age and refining their talents in line with a European football philosophy based on tactical discipline, physical awareness and professional conduct, in harmony with the demands of modern football. The academy targets age groups from 8 to 14 years, reflecting advanced awareness of the importance of early development and player formation within an integrated system.
DIRECT BRIDGE FOR FINDING TALENTS
The academy also serves as a direct bridge for discovering Omani talents and providing them with opportunities to gain professional experience abroad. The agreement includes specialised programmes to select outstanding players and send them to Spain for training attachments and direct exposure to European football schools, enhancing young players’ chances to acquire a professional mindset, discipline and competitive spirit.
Oman Club’s facilities will host the academy’s pitch and training facilities, ensuring a safe and suitable training environment for youth categories. The project also includes the establishment of the 'Al Ata’a Physiotherapy Centre' within the academy’s framework, supporting medical, preventive and rehabilitation aspects, in line with modern training requirements related to health and physical care.
Jihad bin Abdullah al Sheikh, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Oman Club, affirmed that signing this agreement represents a strategic step for the club, explaining that it is not merely a training collaboration but an integrated project aimed at player development and building a strong talent base across various age groups. He noted that the academy will play an important social role by attracting children and youth and integrating them into an organised sports environment that promotes discipline and commitment, while also serving the club technically by supplying its teams with young, competition-ready players for various youth tournaments.
For his part, Nabil al Khafaji, Head of the Real Betis Academy in Oman, expressed his great happiness with the opening of the new branch, emphasising that Oman was selected after in-depth studies revealed the presence of promising football talents capable of development. He pointed out that the main difference between Arab and European football lies in development programmes and technical structures, which the academy seeks to transfer and implement through modern professional training curricula.
Meanwhile, Spanish Ambassador Francisco Javier de Asturiz confirmed that the launch of the Real Betis Academy in Muscat represents one of the most significant forms of sports cooperation between the two countries, noting that Spanish clubs possess extensive experience in player development from very early stages. He stressed that transferring this expertise to Oman will contribute to raising the overall technical level of football in the Sultanate of Oman in the medium and long term.
In turn, Javier Lopez Alonso, International Coordinator of the Real Betis Academy, stated that the launch of the academy branch in Oman comes as part of a strategic plan to expand into emerging football markets, noting that the club found in Oman a suitable environment, a passionate fan base and talents with strong development potential. He explained that the academy will apply the same methodology used in Seville, including work processes, evaluation systems and follow-up mechanisms.
Alonso also revealed that the agreement includes regular visits by experts from the parent club, as well as the annual selection and dispatch of outstanding players to Spain for professional training attachments. He emphasised that the project in Oman is not a temporary activity, but rather a long-term investment aimed at becoming an active contributor to the development of Omani football and opening pathways for players to reach high professional levels in the future.
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