Area: Sevilla FC Academic Chair

This section is where we describe the various actions carried out by the Sevilla FC Chair – UPO: University, Business, and Sports.

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Sevilla FC and Tanzanian Club Young Africans SC sign cooperation agreement

The president of the Tanzanian club, Hersi Ally Said, visited Sevilla FC’s facilities to formalize the sports collaboration agreement.

Sevilla FC and Young Africans SC have reached an agreement through which the African club joins the World Club Alliance Program. Under this partnership, Sevilla FC will provide specialized support and guidance aimed at fostering the growth of Young Africans SC, with a particular focus on developing its coaches and young academy players.

Founded in 1935, Young Africans SC is the most successful club in Tanzanian football, with a record of 31 league titles, including the last four seasons, in which it also achieved the double by winning the National Cup. The club is also recognized for its strong commitment to training and promoting local talent.

In January, the president of Young Africans SC, Hersi Ally Said, visited the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium to sign the agreement and held an institutional meeting with Sevilla FC’s president, José María del Nido Carrasco.

“For Sevilla FC, it is a pleasure to begin this collaboration with Young Africans SC and continue expanding our international network of partnerships with clubs, leagues, and federations, sharing our experience within the football industry. On this occasion, we are partnering with the most decorated club in Tanzania and we hope to contribute to the development of their youth talent program as well as the growth of their various business areas, being one of the clubs with the largest fan base in Africa,” stated Sevilla FC president José María del Nido Carrasco.

Hersi Ally Said added: “We are extremely proud that one of Spain’s most important clubs is joining forces with the biggest club in Tanzania, East Africa, and Africa as a whole. This partnership will be crucial in further advancing Young Africans’ development. Both our country and club strongly focus on grassroots development, and Sevilla FC has shown great expertise in nurturing players and guiding them to the highest level, always prioritizing the players’ best interests. We have full confidence in Sevilla and Spanish football, and this agreement represents a very valuable opportunity for our country.”

The Tanzanian club president also highlighted the club’s sporting achievements: “Young Africans is the most successful club in Tanzania, with 31 league titles, nine more than the second most successful club historically. We have also achieved notable success in national and continental competitions, reaching the final of the CAF Confederation Cup in 2023 and the quarterfinals of the CAF Champions League in the last two seasons. In terms of history and results, we are a reference point both in Tanzania and across Africa.”

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Alexis Candy becomes a new sponsor of Sevilla FC Academy

Alexis Candy, a brand of Ukrainian origin founded in Spain in 2024, is currently experiencing strong expansion across the Andalusian region thanks to its innovative approach within the healthy food sector. The company offers a fresh alternative to traditional confectionery, producing fruit-based sweets that are 100% natural and free from preservatives and colorants, with the aim of encouraging healthy consumption habits from an early age.

This partnership strengthens the shared commitment between Sevilla FC Academy and Alexis Candy to promoting balanced nutrition in grassroots sport, understood as a key pillar in the holistic development of young footballers. Through this agreement, both the players and the technical staff of the Sevilla FC youth academy will benefit from an initiative aligned with values of well-being, education, and athletic performance.

With this sponsorship, Sevilla FC and Alexis Candy embark on a joint journey focused on nurturing young talent, educating athletes in healthy lifestyle habits from the grassroots level, and driving innovation within the gastronomic sector, demonstrating that taste and well-being can go hand in hand in the sporting environment.

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How Talent is Built at Sevilla FC

With the aim of promoting transparency and highlighting the work behind every action seen on social media, the Sevilla FC Innovation Center launches this new content initiative.

Through periodic publications, we will share the day-to-day activities of the club’s different departments, explaining how they work, what they analyze, and their real impact on player development. A look from the inside to better understand the processes, people, and methodology that sustain Sevilla FC’s sporting project.

Youth Academy Analysis Department

Innovation Applied to the Development of Young Talent

The Youth Academy Analysis Department’s mission is to support the comprehensive development of young talent at Sevilla FC through the structured use of data, video, and analytical methodologies, aligned with the club’s academy methodology.

Its role is to optimize the observation, evaluation, and technical-tactical and individual monitoring of players, providing clear and actionable information to coaches and methodology managers. In addition, it acts as a strategic support for sports decision-making, early talent detection, and career planning, integrating transversally with areas such as scouting, performance, health, and education.

What Do We Analyze?

We analyze the game, players, and context to help make better decisions.

  • Individual and collective technical-tactical behavior (with and without the ball).
  • Performance evolution of each player over time.
  • Consistency with the club’s playing model and detection of specific patterns.
  • Integration of video, match data, and longitudinal tracking to identify strengths, risks, and development opportunities.

This analysis supports the coaching staff, methodology team, and sporting management in planning, training, and strategic decision-making.

How Do We Work During the Week?

  • Recording all training sessions and matches using cameras with artificial intelligence.
  • Using professional software for action tagging and pattern detection.
  • Weekly meetings with coaching staff to support decision-making.
  • Maintaining and updating datasets, accumulating information in a centralized database.
  • Talent tracking and progression monitoring, providing continuous support to coaches and managers.
  • Dynamic data dashboards that facilitate executive decision-making for coaches and club staff.

Why Is This Work Key for the Academy?

  • Objectifying talent development: allows real evaluation of player progression with data and video, beyond subjective perceptions or isolated results.
  • Aligning training with the club’s model: ensures coherence across stages, teams, and methodologies, better preparing players for competitive progression.
  • Improving sports decision-making: supports promotions, retention, and individual development plans with reliable, comparable information.
  • Protecting and maximizing the club’s investment: reduces risks, anticipates needs, and increases the player’s sporting and patrimonial value

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The Sevilla FC Innovation Center consolidates itself as an international benchmark for education and training in 2025

During 2025, the Sevilla FC Innovation Center strengthened its role as a benchmark space for education, knowledge exchange, and the club’s international projection, hosting delegations from academies, clubs, and sports organizations from different countries.

Throughout the year, the Innovation Center welcomed visits from international clubs such as Japan’s Kashiwa Reysol and Puerto Rico’s Hispania FA Academy, whose players took part in educational programs and training sessions based on Sevilla FC’s methodology. These stays allowed the footballers to experience the club’s working model first-hand and enjoy a sporting and cultural experience in Seville.

In addition, professionals and coaches from the Polish Football Association participated in specialized programs focused on physical preparation and high performance, while executives from South Korea’s K-League visited the club’s facilities to learn about its structure, talent development processes, and sports management model.

These visits add to Sevilla FC’s participation in international forums and strategic meetings, consolidating the Innovation Center as a key platform for global collaboration and knowledge transfer in football. In this way, Sevilla FC continues to promote its commitment to innovation, education, and the internationalization of its sporting model.

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For the second year in a row, Sevilla FC welcomes delegates from South Korea’s leading clubs

Various members of South Korea’s top football clubs, belonging to the K-League, once again visited Sevilla FC’s training ground to experience firsthand the day-to-day life inside the club.

As part of this experience, which is taking place for the second consecutive year, they attended the match between Sevilla FC Women and Dépor ABANCA, which ended in a convincing 3-1 victory for David Losada’s team.

In addition, they took a tour of the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium as well as a more tourist-oriented tour of the city’s iconic landmarks. They were accompanied by several club staff members, who acted as guides in this new chapter of collaboration between South Korean football and Sevilla FC.

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Yechuon Club Junior participates for the first time in Sevilla FC Innovation Center visits

Sevilla FC has hosted, for the first time, a club from the Korean Football Association (KFA) thanks to initiatives promoted by its Innovation Center. During this experience, they met fellow compatriots who were also at Sevilla FC’s facilities as part of the Coaches Academy program.

The KFA delegation was able to attend several training sessions and a friendly match, seeing firsthand the club’s methodology both on and off the pitch.

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Puerto Rico’s Hispania FA Academy returns to the Players Academy Program

A delegation of Puerto Rican players recently visited Sevilla FC’s facilities to take part in the activities offered by the Players Academy program, promoted by the Sevilla FC Innovation Center.

During the visit, the footballers were able to participate in training sessions led by youth academy coaches, following the club’s own methodology. In fact, two of them even trained last Friday with the Juvenil D team, temporarily increasing the number of Puerto Rican players in this squad, which already includes two other members born on the Caribbean island.

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Polish Federation relies on Sevilla FC to train women as sporting directors

The Polish Federation (PZPN) visited Sevilla FC’s facilities with a delegation made up entirely of women. They are currently training to become sporting directors and attended talks given by professionals from the club. One of the highlights was the session led by David Losada, coach of Sevilla FC Women.

In addition, they took part in other activities related to the women’s section of Sevilla FC, including sporting management as well as the legal and data departments. They also observed several training sessions of the women’s first team.

To conclude their visit, the delegation attended the latest match of the Spanish national team, who faced the Turkish national side at the Estadio de La Cartuja in the final qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup.

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Sevilla FC joins the 11th Aspire Academy Global Summit 2025 in Philadelphia

Sevilla FC took part in the 11th edition of the Aspire Academy Global Summit 2025, held on October 7th and 8th at Subaru Park Stadium in Philadelphia (United States), home of Philadelphia Union from Major League Soccer (MLS). The club’s participation in this prestigious summit reinforces its commitment to football innovation and the continuous training of its professionals, consolidating its role as a global benchmark in talent development and football knowledge.

The Aspire Academy Global Summit brought together representatives from more than 50 clubs and football federations worldwide, along with coaches, academy directors, and performance experts, with the goal of sharing experiences, methodologies, and new trends in both youth and elite football.

Over the two-day summit, participants attended masterclasses and keynote sessions led by renowned figures such as Rafa Benítez, Gareth Southgate, Wilfried Nancy, Alessandro Nesta, and Carly Lloyd, who discussed key topics including leadership, team management, competitive performance, women’s football, and the adaptation of players to the modern game.

In addition to the lectures, the program featured round tables and practical workshops focused on areas such as integrating technology into player development, workload optimization, academy management, and data-driven analysis for improving player performance.

As an active member of the Aspire in the World Fellows community, Sevilla FC continues to strengthen its collaboration with academies and clubs around the globe, promoting the exchange of knowledge and the continuous improvement of its youth development model. This global network, which includes institutions such as Liverpool FC, Paris Saint-Germain, Ajax, and FC Porto, aims to foster international cooperation in football research and innovation.

Through its participation in Philadelphia, Sevilla FC takes another step forward in its institutional and sporting growth strategy, reaffirming its commitment to a methodology-driven and science-based approach that prioritizes the comprehensive development of both coaches and players. This philosophy has established the club as a reference not only for its sporting achievements but also for its ability to evolve and adapt to the future of football.

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Big Data Master’s, ranked among the best in Spain

The Master’s in Big Data Applied to Football Scouting, co-organized by the Sevilla FC Innovation Center, Sports Data Campus, and UCAM, has been chosen as one of the best online training options in Spain by the prestigious newspaper El Mundo.

In an article titled “The 145 Best Online Master’s Degrees to Study in Spain in 2025”, the program is ranked as the second-best option within the “Big Data” category, noting that it “has the support of organizations, leagues, federations, football clubs, and companies in technology, data, and sports analytics,” and that it “allows students to obtain four additional certifications that complement their training.”

At the end of October, a new edition of the Master’s program, the ninth, will begin, with the final month of enrollment now open.

Check the ranking at the following link.

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Hispania FF of Puerto Rico visits the Players Academy Program

Hispania FF of Puerto Rico Visits the Players Academy Program at Sevilla FC Innovation Center

In recent days, the Players Academy program at the Sevilla FC Innovation Center welcomed a special visit from the players of Hispania FF of Puerto Rico. The club’s delegation, composed of more than 60 players of various age groups and four coaches, was divided into four categories to take full advantage of the development and training offered by Sevilla FC’s player enhancement program.

As part of their experience, the players took part in training sessions at the club’s sports city, following the official Sevilla FC methodology. Their stay also included a friendly match against Sevilla FC’s Infantil A side, coached by Álex Martín.

In addition, the visiting group had the opportunity to explore the club’s top-tier facilities, including a full tour of the iconic Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium.

The group also attended educational sessions delivered by various Sevilla FC professionals, covering topics such as international sports projects and sports psychology.

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José Andrés Nevado Villalba, awarded the Manuel Blasco Garzón Prize.

The Special Jury Prize of the 4th Edition of the Manuel Blasco Garzón Awards has been granted to José Andrés Nevado Villalba for his outstanding work titled “Are soccer clubs sensitive to financial scandals? Evidence from the Plusvalenza case.”

This study analyzes the impact of the Plusvalenza financial scandal, involving the football club Juventus of Turin. To conduct this case study, José Andrés Nevado applied a methodology based on financial event analysis. His research concludes that the financial market reacts more strongly to negative news than to favorable court rulings.

Moreover, this work raises important ethical questions: Is it profitable for football clubs to break the law if the market reacts negatively?

The study conducted by José Andrés Nevado Villalba not only offers key insights into the financial sphere of football but also contributes to applications in professional football regulation, club management, and investment decision-making.

The Manuel Blasco Garzón Prize continues its mission of recognizing young talent, supporting and encouraging students to pursue academic and scientific research.