Stories and facts

Right to Dream is a youth football academy system founded in Ghana in 1999 by Tom Vernon, a former Manchester United scout in Africa.

It began as a modest training centre in Accra, operating independently from any professional club, and initially trained a few boys housed in Vernon's home.

Today, it has evolved into a global multi-club, multi-academy group owned by the Mansour Group, with branches in Egypt and affiliated clubs including FC Nordsjælland in Denmark, FC Masar in Egypt, and San Diego FC in the United States.

The academy provides full scholarships to selected students—both boys and girls—drawn from across West Africa. It blends elite football training with academic education, operating a purpose-built boarding school on the banks of Ghana’s Volta River.

Right to Dream’s International School is a certified Cambridge Examination Centre and integrates both local and international curricula. Every two years, about 15–20 students are selected from over 30,000 trialists based on athletic and academic potential.

In 2013, it launched Africa’s first girls' football academy. In 2015, it acquired Danish club FC Nordsjælland and opened its first external school programme in Takoradi.

A significant turning point came in 2021 when the Mansour Group invested $120 million to take over the organization and form ManSports.

In 2022, the group acquired FC Masar in Egypt and announced the creation of San Diego FC, a new Major League Soccer franchise set to begin play in 2025, complete with a Right to Dream academy in California.

Right to Dream has produced over 282 graduates, with more than 157 playing professional football worldwide. Sixty-seven graduates have represented their national teams, and seven featured at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Over 56 alumni are currently studying in high schools and universities across the United States and the United Kingdom.

The academy’s teams have achieved international acclaim, winning numerous youth tournaments including the Gothia Cup (2014, 2015, and 2022), the Marveld Tournament, and the Manchester United Premier Cup. In 2015 alone, the U18 and U15 teams went unbeaten over 42 matches in Europe.

Right to Dream also operates as a charity in Ghana, a not-for-dividend enterprise in Egypt and Denmark, and a 501(c)(3) organization in the United States.

It continues to form partnerships to secure educational and athletic opportunities for African youth, ensuring that football development goes hand in hand with academic excellence and personal growth.

Notable alumni include Mohammed Kudus, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Yaw Yeboah, Abu Danladi, David Accam, and Simon Adingra, among many others who have made their mark both on and off the field.

Discover the inspiring journey of Mohammed Kudus below, a proud alumnus of the Right to Dream Academy.