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Right to Dream was honored with the Globe Soccer Award for Best Academy. The ceremony was held in Dubai, UAE on December 28th, 2025.
Sir Mohamed Mansour, Chairman of Right to Dream, was in attendance and accepted the award.
Visibly emotional, Mansour spoke highly about the Right to Dream mission, putting into perspective what it means to him.
"Today we have three teams around the world. We started in Ghana and then we went to Copenhagen in Denmark where we have FC Nordsjælland, then we started in Egypt with FC Masar, and then we have also San Diego Football Club - which turned out to win the first Western Conference League as the first expansion team and that was a record, through Right to Dream players." Mansour said as he held the trophy on stage.
About Globe Soccer Awards
Founded in 2010 by Tommaso Bendoni, the Globe Soccer Awards began as a modest ceremony with just three categories. What started as a small recognition platform has steadily grown alongside the global game, expanding to six awards in 2011 and reaching double digits by 2012.
New categories have been added over the years to reflect the sport’s increasing reach, influence, and diversity across continents and competitions. A notable development has been the expanded emphasis on women’s football, with dedicated awards introduced to recognize achievements in the women’s game.
The Globe Soccer Awards also stand out for their inclusive selection process. Winners are determined through a two-stage voting system that blends global fan participation with expert insight. Fans from around the world first vote to decide the finalists, before a combination of public votes and a jury made up of journalists, coaches, agents, and former players selects the final winners.
About Right to Dream Academy
Right to Dream Academy is a world-renowned football development organization focused on nurturing young talent both on and off the pitch.
Founded in Ghana, the academy combines elite football training with education, character building, and life skills, aiming to create well-rounded individuals prepared for professional careers and leadership roles. Its model has produced players who have gone on to succeed in top leagues around the world while also emphasizing social impact and personal growth.
In 2025, San Diego FC opened the first academy of its kind in the MLS. Situated on a 28-acre site on Sycuan tribal land in El Cajon, the program blends elite football training with rigorous academics and character development, offering full five-year scholarships to student-athletes regardless of on-field performance.
Housed within a world-class performance campus that includes the Sharp HealthCare Performance Center and multiple full-sized pitches, the academy will grow to serve boys and girls aged roughly 10 to 18 across competitive teams, with the inaugural class already competing in MLS NEXT.
Fans can watch the entire ceremony on YouTube.
