Gothia Cup

Empire Sports Academy will travel with seven teams from Dubai

The academy from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates has already started preparing for the Gothia Cup 2023.

Empire Sports Academy made their Gothia Cup debut in 2022. In the summer, they will have another great experience in Gothenburg.
– To witness players from different parts of the world, and the flair they bring to the game is an occasion and experience that can’t be topped, says the academy director Adam Felix.

We ask Adam Felix how he would like to describe the Dubai based academy.
– Empire Sports Academy is best described as an academy that offers our players the chance to learn the values, perseverance and diligence of the sport whilst learning the valuable techniques and skills to become the strongest footballers they can possibly be. Along with this, we believe giving opportunities to play abroad, such as the Gothia Cup, will mold our players into competitive athletes with the correct attitude and outlook on sport and life itself, says Adam Felix.
He thinks that the participation in the Gothia Cup is significant in several ways.
– The Gothia Cup is an opportunity for us as an academy to take part in not only this marvelous, international tournament but to achieve a tremendous amount of personal development, both on and off the pitch. With this personal development comes the chance to strengthen bonds between our teammates whilst also gaining invaluable experience of playing against some of the toughest opponents the game of football has to offer.

They like a lot about the tournament.
– The best has to be the mix of cultures that are brought together for the purpose of playing the beautiful game of football! The Gothia Cup is an experience like no other, that brings all corners of the world together. To witness players from different parts of the world, and the flair they bring to the game is an occasion and experience that can’t be topped, says Adam Felix.
Empire Sports Academy made their debut in the Gothia Cup 2022.
– The players can't wait to return. All of our players who took part said it was, without doubt, the best tournament they had been a part of and they’re all so excited to return and relive the experience.

They participated with three teams last summer. In 2023, they will more than double it and come with seven teams.
– Our expectations as a club are to compete and to go as far in the tournament as possible. We’ve effectively been preparing for the Gothia Cup since the beginning of our season, which was September 2022, and we’ll be ready to take on any club that we’re put up against, says the academy director.
What will your players learn by coming to Sweden and take part in the Gothia Cup?
– Teamwork, camaraderie, respect and values. All our players apply these standards and will also look to embrace them when travelling abroad. All players will take pride in what we’re trying to achieve as an academy and with high expectations comes great responsibility, which we're extremely confident our players will provide, says Adam Felix.