Colombo Athletic Football Academy becomes the first Sri Lankan team to be invited to the prestigious IBER cup in Portugal

Academy makes history as one of the first Sri Lankan team selected for one of the most prestigious youth football tournaments in the world

Colombo Athletic Football  academy has made history by becoming the first Sri Lankan football academy to receive an invitation to the Iber Cup, held annually in Portugal and widely regarded as one of the most important youth football tournaments in the world.

The invitation is a landmark moment for Sri Lankan football, with Colombo Athletic joining an elite group of academies from across the globe that compete in this prestigious tournament each year.

The Iber Cup has served as a launchpad for some of the biggest names in world football today. Among its distinguished alumni are Bernardo Silva and Rúben Dias of Manchester City, Rafael Leão of AC Milan, Vitinha, Gonçalo Ramos, and João Neves of Paris Saint-Germain — players who now compete at the very highest levels of the game.

What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that Colombo Athletic’s academy is just fifteen months old. In under two years, the club has established itself on the international stage, earning recognition from tournament organisers who invite only the best youth academies in the world.

Central to Colombo Athletic’s rapid rise is its long-term collaboration with the AC Milan Academy Junior Camp. The club has adopted the renowned AC Milan development methodology, instilling world-class training systems, technical discipline, and footballing philosophy in its young players from the ground up. It is this commitment to the Milan system that is widely credited with earning the academy its coveted invitation to the Iber Cup. The Colombo Athletic team trains as Thurstan grounds as its home base.

” We are so excited, that in just 15 months since our start we have taken this giant step of being invited to one of the most prestigious youth tournaments. Whatever the outcome we are so grateful for this opportunity. This exposure will mean a lot for your Sri Lankan players. We are first academy in Sri Lanka which has a collaboration with AC Milan. This provides us with a base to teach a successful system which is called the ‘Milan Method’. We tarin on this system and it is bearing fruit. Insert quote from Academy Director / Founder / Head Coach],” says Ajai Vir Singh, President, Colombo Athletic Football Club / AC Milan Junior academy camp Sri Lanka.

The club’s participation in the Iber Cup represents not only a milestone for Colombo Athletic, but a defining moment for youth football development in Sri Lanka — signalling that the island nation is ready to compete with the world’s best.

The Colombo Athletic also offers annual scholarships to under privileged but talented players from across the island.

The academy is sponsored are Prima Kothumi, Mastercard, Cinnamon Grand, Sorrell, Health Scan and patronage of three important individuals.

About Colombo Athletic Football Club

Colombo Athletic Football academy is a Colombo-based youth football academy founded November 2024. In partnership with the AC Milan Academy Junior Camp, Sri Lanka  the academy is dedicated to developing world-class footballers through elite coaching methodology and international exposure.

About the Iber Cup

The Iber Cup is one of the world’s most prestigious annual youth football tournaments, held in Portugal. The tournament attracts the finest youth academies from around the globe and has historically featured players who have gone on to become top professional footballers.

Photo caption

The team for IBER Cup- Akein Ekanayake (captain), Adnaan Ali, Shatein Saheed, Aamish Wasim,  Nathan  Samuel, Arian Singh, Senal Arsecularatne, Yasiru Dissanayake, Nicolas Stefan, Myron Fernando, Thashwin Sudharshanan, Amaan Morris, Deigo Mudiyanselage, Umar Mashood, Ethan Fonseca, Aaron Fernando