Just one year after its launch, the "Pepsi Stars" program achieved the first fruits of its vision, as the sponsoring company celebrated, in cooperation with the Right to Dream Academy and under the patronage of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the joining of the first batch of male and female players who passed all evaluation stages to the academy, to begin a new phase in their sports and educational journey.
The ceremony was attended by His Excellency the Minister Jawhar Nabil, Minister of Youth and Sports, Engineer Karim Khadr, Chairman of the Board and Managing Director of the sponsoring company, Mr. Mohamed Wasfy, CEO of the Right to Dream Academy Egypt, along with the families of the players and representatives of the media.
The program achieved outstanding results, organizing 96 talent discovery events across various governorates of Egypt, evaluating more than 76,000 talents, in addition to developing five Pepsi Stars fields in Giza, Alexandria, Mansoura, Ismailia, and Luxor, which provided opportunities for hundreds of thousands to play football through open play, as well as providing specialized training centers that contributed to the development of around 500 promising talents.
Among these talents, 43 male and female players qualified for an intensive evaluation camp that lasted three weeks inside the "Right to Dream" Academy, before selecting 12 male and female players to join the academy, to begin the next phase of their sports and educational journey.
This step represents a pivotal milestone in the journey of the "Pepsi Stars" program, which aims to build a sustainable system for discovering and developing Egyptian football talents, by providing a clear path and offering distinguished sports and educational opportunities for them. The program targets qualifying between 40 and 60 talents to join the "Right to Dream" Academy over three years, reflecting PepsiCo Egypt's ongoing commitment to investing in youth and supporting the future of Egyptian football.
The Minister of Youth and Sports affirmed that the "Pepsi Stars" program embodies a successful model of partnership between the state, the private sector, and specialized sports institutions, in line with the ministry's vision for discovering and nurturing sports talents on scientific and sustainable foundations.
Jawhar Nabil added: "We are working according to the directives of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to expand the base of sports practice, discover talents in various governorates of the republic, and provide pathways that guarantee them real opportunities for development and excellence. What we are witnessing today with the joining of the first batch of Pepsi Stars players to the Right to Dream Academy confirms that investing in youth is the true investment in the future of Egyptian sports".
The Minister of Youth and Sports pointed out that the ministry is keen to support all initiatives that provide youth with equal opportunities to discover and refine their talents, affirming that cooperation with the private sector and local and international partners represents a fundamental pillar for building a new generation of champions capable of representing Egypt and raising its flag in various sports forums.
For his part, Karim Khadr, Chairman of the Board and Managing Director of the sponsoring company, said: "This day represents the culmination of a vision we began a year ago, stemming from our belief that Egypt possesses a true wealth of football talents, and that what these talents need is the right opportunity and continuous support to reach their full potential. From this belief, the 'Pepsi Stars' program was born to be a sustainable platform that not only discovers talents but works to develop and qualify them, creating a new generation of players and preparing champions capable of representing Egypt and raising its name".
Mohamed Wasfy, CEO of the Right to Dream Academy Egypt, noted: "At Right to Dream, we believe that our role is not limited to discovering football talents, but extends to preparing a generation that possesses the skills, character, and ability to succeed on and off the field. Through our partnership with the sponsoring company and with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, we have been able to expand the scope of this vision and reach thousands of talents across Egypt, providing an integrated environment that combines professional training, education, and personal development. Today, we are proud of the joining of the first batch to the academy, in a step that reflects what can be achieved when purposeful partnerships come together to create real opportunities for youth".
The "Pepsi Stars" program provides the talents joining the "Right to Dream" Academy with a comprehensive residential program lasting five to six years, combining professional football training, academic education, and personal development. It opens future horizons for them, including opportunities for professionalization within the "Right to Dream" system, in addition to opportunities to obtain scholarships in a network comprising more than 80 educational institutions around the world.
