Four young players from the Talented Player Programme (TPP) at City Football Schools (CFS) in the UAE enjoyed a matchday experience of a lifetime at the Manchester City vs Arsenal fixture on 26th April, courtesy of e& and Manchester City FC.

Invited to be player escorts by Manchester City player Rodri, the four players - Mohammad, Kais, Mohammad and Itqan – travelled to Manchester ahead of the fixture and enjoyed a training session at the academy and a tour of the Etihad Stadium before walking out with the players and enjoying the top of the table clash.

Speaking about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Mohammad commented: “To be at the Etihad Stadium was one of the best experiences of my life and to do so with my friends from the City Football School programmes was an opportunity that I am grateful for and one that I will never forget. Being able to train at the City Football Academy alongside so many other talented players has also really inspired me to train even harder once back in Abu Dhabi”.

e&, global investment and technology group, has been Manchester City FC’s Official Telecommunications Partner since 2009. It partnered with City Football Schools (CFS) last year to support the Talented Player Programme (TPP). The programme aims to provide a platform for young footballers aged 11-16 across Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Launched in 2019, the programme helps fulfil the potential of footballers and provides guidance from expert coaches from City Football Schools. The TPP is part of the CFS programme, with coaching in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai. In three years, the programme has successfully transitioned more than 50 players into elite football environments.

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About e& 

e& is one of the world’s leading technology and investment groups. With consolidated net revenue of AED 52.4 billion and consolidated net profit of AED 10 billion for 2022, its high credit ratings reflect the Group’s strong balance sheet and proven long-term performance.  

Founded in Abu Dhabi more than four decades ago as the UAE’s first telecommunications company, the Group now operates in 16 countries across the Middle East, Asia and Africa. 

e& provides innovative digital solutions, smart connectivity and next-generation technologies to a variety of customer segments through its business pillars: etisalat by e&, e& international, e& life, e& enterprise and e& capital. 

To learn more about e&, please visit: https://eand.com/  

About City Football Group    

Established in May 2013, City Football Group is the world’s leading private owner and operator of football clubs, with total or partial ownership of thirteen clubs across the world: Premier League Champions Manchester City FC in England, New York City FC in the US, Melbourne City FC in Australia, Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan, Montevideo City Torque in Uruguay, Girona FC in Spain, Sichuan Jiuniu FC in China, Mumbai City FC in India, Lommel SK in Belgium, ESTAC in France, Palermo FC in Italy, Bahia SAF in Brazil and partner club Bolívar in Bolivia. 

With 17 offices around the world, CFG also invests in other football related businesses and projects and serves as a global commercial platform for its partners, whilst fulfilling its vision of using football for social good on a local and global scale through its clubs’ charities, foundations and other CSR initiatives.    

CFG is majority owned by Newton Investment and Development LLC, with a significant minority shareholding held by global technology investment firm, Silver Lake (18.16%).   

From 23rd September 2008 until December 2015, City Football Group was wholly owned by ADUG, a private investment and development company belonging to His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.   

From 25 July 2021, CFG’s ultimate parent undertaking is Newton Investment and Development LLC, a company registered in Abu Dhabi and also wholly owned by His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan.