Mohammed VI Football Academy
Sala al Jadida is located near the city of Rabat and is now the official home of the Mohammed VI Football Academy. The king recently inaugurated this project, which will open its doors to education and the development of football in the country. The project has been running since 2007 with the assistance of Nasser Larguet, Project Manager, who has been overseeing the project and touring Morocco in search of students who fit the requirements of the academy. The Mohammed VI Football Academy will not only be developing the sport and its future football stars, but providing the education that will shape the minds of the younger generation.
The Mohammed VI Football Academy was designed to accommodate a maximum of sixty students between the ages of 12 and 18. This breathtaking $16.8 million project was constructed on eighteen hectares of land, and has every facility available to students to improve their football skills and work towards their education. The academy consists of a school that is fully equipped to offer three levels of education, according to the ages of the students. Students that are 13 or 14 years of age will fall into the first level of education, moving to the second and third level, as they age and progress. The first level was designed as a preparation stage, giving students the opportunity to adjust and prepare for the mental and physical demands of the academy.
Sporting and exercise facilities will also be available, as well as four massive stadiums that have been constructed according to the FIFA guidelines. On site medical facilities will ensure the health and safety of every student. The residential area of the academy complex has double rooms and single rooms to suit the needs of students, and includes a cafeteria, a cozy restaurant and an entertainment area that provides internet access, television and other free time activities. Many companies have lent their support to the project, as the academy is being run through a non-profit organization. King Mohammed VI has himself given financial aid towards the project and it is hoped that other cities will follow the example set by the academy, and work towards establishing more educational sports facilities.
