Al Bidda SC has signed a long-term partnership agreement with Ajax to manage and train their club youth programme, utilising its worldwide renowned philosophy, culture, and methodology. The club youth programme educates children and teens from the age of eight until the age of 19 years old.
The partnership deal was announced at a press conference held at the 974 Stadium on Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohamed bin Fahad al-Thani, Vice-Chairman of Al Bidda SC, said: “With this partnership, we are setting a strong and solid foundation towards creating the best local club Football Youth Academy in Qatar. This, in turn, will help us foster great talents who will move up to join our first team. The Ajax academy is one of the best, if not the best, in the world. They have been doing it for a long time, and they have produced global talents and legends. Indeed, this would have a very positive impact on our players, coaches, administrators at the club, and, of course, for the development of Qatari football.”
Alex Kroes, Technical Director of Ajax, said: “We are delighted to expand our international football network through this partnership. The global interest in Ajax’s football expertise is enormous and we are convinced that, in Al Bidda SC, we have found a partner with the same vision as Ajax. In the coming years, we will make every effort to set up a strong youth academy, which should ultimately ensure a constant flow of youth players to their first team. It is also great that we can implement our football philosophy on a broader scale. We have noticed a huge demand for this and are looking forward to these activities”.
Ronald De Boer, former Netherlands star and now Ajax A1 assistant manager, who was also present on the occasion, while speaking of the partnership said Ajax were keen to work with the youth of Al Bidda SC. “When I came here, I saw football was already very popular, and Qatar had a vision to improve, and it doesn’t stop even after the FIFA World Cup. Sports is still a big part of life here. But we need to be patient and use the opportunity to develop our own identity in football. This requires starting at the grassroots level and gaining experience over time.
“There are many young talents here. Our goal is to give these youngsters a chance to fulfil their dreams of becoming professional football players. However, it’s important to understand that not everyone will become a professional. Only a small percentage will make it to that level. “The broader objective is to ensure that even those who don’t become professional football players learn valuable lessons from their experiences. This will help them in their future endeavours, making them better prepared for whatever path they choose. Our ultimate goal is to help young people achieve their dreams, whether in football or other fields.”
Given the partnership, the Ajax Academy trainers and coaches will be directly conducting all Al Bidda SC youth training and development programmes starting immediately. The Al Bidda SC has a top team currently playing in Qatar Second Division League. The club was established in Qatar in 2015 and started with an amateur team playing in the Second Division and even winning the Division Cup in 2022 and being a finalist in 2023.
In July 2023, the club was granted full membership in the Qatar Football Association Cup (QFA) and played its 2023-2024 season as a fully professional member.
