Paris Saint-Germain Academy North America Cup puts spotlight on young talent in Florida
The magic of football lit up Florida during the 3rd edition of the Paris Saint-Germain Academy North America Cup organised from 13 to 15 January 2024. More than 51 boys' and girls' teams competed under the supervision of Benjamin Houri, Technical Director of the PSG Academy programme. In all, nearly 600 children from eight Academy locations in the United States and Canada (Los Angeles, Phoenix, Houston, Miami, Pennsylvania, Chicago, Orlando and Vancouver) came together for the tournament.
The competition featured exciting matches from U9 to U13, and marked the first-ever women's tournament under the aegis of the Paris Saint-Germain Academy USA, underlining the rise of women's football in North America.
For three days, the young players from the North American PSG Academy took part in an intense competition in a premium setting, benefiting from the presence of professional referees, physiotherapists and ultra-modern infrastructures. Paris Saint-Germain is the only European club to have such a venue in the United States, with a stadium seating up to 20,000 people, five football pitches, state-of-the-art equipment and superior facilities. In addition, the site includes spacious meeting rooms, offices and a VIP hospitality area.
Players from the Vancouver Academy shone in the U9 and U12 categories, winning the gold medal, while players from Phoenix stood out in the girls' U12 and U13 categories, taking first place on the podium. The Miami and Chicago Academies also shone, finishing first in the U11 and U10 tournaments.
The tournament, which was open to the families of the young footballers, turned into a big party, marked by wonderful opening and closing ceremonies, including the presentation of prizes and the selection of players to take part in the PSG Academy World Cup in Paris in May 2024. Zones dedicated to fun and entertaining challenges gave participants and their families the opportunity to enjoy themselves while proudly representing their Academy.
With the PSG Academy's mission in North America to educate and provide quality content to players and parents, the tournament offered the opportunity to participate in expert-led conferences on key topics such as development, athleticism and academics, providing practical advice on how to excel both on the field and in their studies.
Nadia Benmokhtar, Head of Brand Development for Paris Saint-Germain: "The Paris Saint-Germain Academy North America Cup was a resounding success, perfectly embodying the mission of the PSG Academy. This competition symbolises the very essence of our vision for the future of football, where sporting excellence blends harmoniously with the personal development of young players.”
Since 2016, the Paris Saint-Germain Academy has been established in North America, with more than 150 educators, specifically trained in the Paris Saint-Germain methodology, providing personalised support for the 2,500 North American players. Present on every pitch in the world, the Paris Saint-Germain Academy offers a unique opportunity for all football fans to share in the values of a major European club, recognised internationally for its expertise and the quality of its training.