Some of the best young players from around the globe will be on show as eight of the world’s top under 16 teams join Chelsea Football Club for a celebration of football to unveil their new Academy and Community Pavilion at Cobham later this month.

A three day international tournament will be held from August 23-25 to celebrate the opening, featuring an array of talent from four continents.

Teams such as Ajax, River Plate, Bayern Munich and the Suwon Samsung Bluewings need little introduction, however to emphasise the international nature of the modern game, Russian team Tolyatti FC will also join 18 of the best young players in the US representing the Disney Soccer “All-Stars” as well as Lebanon’s Al-Nejmeh FC from Beirut who are representing Chelsea’s Global Charity Partner Right To Play.

The FA’s Director of Football Development Sir Trevor Brooking will join dignitaries on 23 August at 10am to unveil a plaque to kick off the tournament and formally open the new building and associated facilities. The tournament proper will kick off at 11am as Chelsea take on River Plate. A full fixture list is available below. 

Sir Trevor looked forward to the opening: “The facilities at Cobham are a tribute to how much stock the club places in developing young talent. The FA will be imminently rolling out a new coaching strategy with a range of age-appropriate courses, and hopefully a new generation of young English talent will get to enjoy the fantastic facilities here,” he said.

“The fact that the new pavilion is also a base for Chelsea’s community scheme shows how much importance this work has within the structure of the club. I have always believed in the power of the game to reach out to communities and it’s fantastic that the training ground will become a base to develop this vital work.”

Chelsea’s Academy is a vital part of the club developing young English talent as well as the best young players from abroad. Over 70 per cent of Chelsea’s Academy are English and it boasts 18 current English internationals between the ages of 16 and 21 years old. Last season the Chelsea Youth team also reached the FA Youth Cup Final for the first time in 47 years and Jack Cork was also named captain of the England U19 team in the European Championships.

Academy Manager Neil Bath said: “These facilities are amongst the best in the world and will play an important role as we develop more and more young players through our Academy system. Being in close proximity to the first team ground gives younger players something to aim for and helps develop closer bonds between all the Chelsea teams. The first team are an inspiration to the younger lads and the new collegiate type facilities means more interaction between the players.

“The fact that so many teams are here from around the world shows the global reach of Chelsea and the international nature of the modern game. The tournament is going to be a fantastic experience not just for our lads but for everyone playing in such a high level and prestigious event.”

The new facilities will also become an integral part of the club’s community work, offering sporting and educational opportunities to young people throughout London and south east England. Last season over 350,000 young people benefited from Chelsea’s leading Football in the Community scheme.

Teams

Al-Nejmeh Sporting Club compete in the Lebanese Premier League and are widely acknowledged as the best and most supported club in the country.

Nejmeh have won six national championships as well as 15 domestic cups. In 2005 Nejmeh became the first Lebanese team to progress to the final of the AFC Cup, narrowly losing to Al-Faisaly of Jordan over two legs.

The Disney Soccer Showcase All-Stars were chosen from players at America's most prestigious youth soccer tournament, the Disney's Soccer Showcase presented by Chelsea Football Club.  The 18 players were selected by a panel of leading American coaches and represent 15 teams across 11 states. 

FC Tolyatti currently in the second division of the Russian League came out of one of the leading academies in the country. The Youry Konoplyov Football Academy currently has more than 30 players representing their country in different age groups. Last season four graduates signed professional terms with the Russian Premier League giants CSKA Moscow and FC Spartak Moscow. The Academy receives sponsorship support from Roman Abramovich’s sports charity foundation, the National Academy of Football

Suwon Samsung Bluewings Founded in December 1995, Bluewings have become one of Asian football's premier clubs, with a host of domestic and continental honours. Three times K League Champions, the Koreans highlighted their credentials by winning the AFC Champions League twice in 2001 and then again in 2002.

River Plate of Argentina have more than 100 years of history and have become one of South America’s most outstanding teams boasting a magnificent 32 domestic championships. In 1986 the team cemented their place in history by winning the prestigious Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup before winning the Copa for the second time in 1996.

Ajax of Amsterdam is regarded as one of the world’s greatest clubs having won 28 national titles and the European Cup four times. The club also boast one of the leading academies in the game. Johan Cruijff, Marco van Basten, Frank Rijkaard, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Kluivert are just a few of the international stars that have come through the club’s youth system.

Bayern Munich are the most successful club in German history, proudly boasting a record 21 Bundesliga titles and 14 German cups. Having produced some of the best players to ever play the game, including Rummenigge and Beckenbauer, the Bavarian club has won the European Cup four times.

GROUP 1                                         

1. Chelsea                                         
2  River Plate                                               
3  Suwon Samsung Bluewings                 
4  Al-Nejmeh FC                                 

 GROUP 2
1. Ajax
2. Bayern Munich
3. Tolyatti FC
4. Disney Soccer Show-Case “All-stars”

Saturday 23 August

11am

Chelsea v River Plate

12noon

Ajax v Bayern Munich
Suwon Bluewings v Al Nejmeh
Tolyatti FC v Disney All Stars

Sunday 24 August

10.30am

Chelsea v Suwon Bluewing
Ajax v Tolyatti
River Plate v Al Nejmeh
Bayern Munich v Disney All Stars

5pm

Chelsea v Al Nejmeh
Ajax v Disney All Stars

Monday 25 August

11am  2 x Semi-Finals
1pm    4th v 4th and 3rd v 3rd play-off games
3pm    3rd v 4th place Play Off
5pm    FINAL