Real Madrid Football Academy Port Harcourt: How to Join (2026/2027 Admission)
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Admissions for the 2026/2027 academic session are now open.
2026/2027 Admission Timeline
- June 29 to July 10, 2026: Admission forms issued and collected, free of charge, at the academy's premises in Elekahia, Port Harcourt
- July 30 and 31, 2026: Tactical Football Screening, starting 8:00am, at Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt
- August 8, 2026: Written Aptitude Test, starting 7:00am, at the Real Madrid Football Academy, Elekahia
Both the admission form and the entire admission process are free.
Eligibility
The academy was set up to give talented young footballers in Rivers State a pathway into a football career, combined with a full secondary education. Historically, applicants have needed to be:
- Nigerian nationals
- Roughly between 5 and 12 years old, though some recent admission cycles have accepted candidates into their teens, so check the specific age range stated on this year's form
- In school, ideally already registered with the Rivers State Ministry of Education
Preference is given to indigenes of Rivers State, whose government partly funds the academy, but the academy has consistently said students from other Nigerian states can apply. Rivers State indigenes are said to make up around 70 percent of intake, with the remaining 30 percent open to applicants from elsewhere in the country.
Required Documents
Applicants need to submit:
- Birth certificate
- Local Government Identification
- Testimonial or First School Leaving Certificate
- Medical Fitness Report from a government health centre
- A photocopy of the completed application form
- Two passport-sized photographs
How to Register
For the 2026/2027 session, forms are being issued and collected in person at the academy's Elekahia campus rather than purely online. In past admission cycles, the academy has also used an online portal at the Rivers State Academy website, where parents or guardians filled in the child's session year, personal details (name, local government area, state of origin, date of birth, gender, current class and number of siblings), the school last attended, and the parent or guardian's contact details, before submitting. If an online option is available again this year, it's worth checking the academy's official channels, since online registration has been used in previous years alongside in-person collection.
Screening and Selection
After forms are submitted, shortlisted candidates go through the Tactical Football Screening at Sharks Stadium, followed by the Written Aptitude Test at the Elekahia campus. In past years, the screening period has run over several days, with accommodation and basic welfare provided to applicants for its duration. Successful applicants are typically notified directly by the academy once selection is complete.
Facilities and Fees
The academy's Elekahia campus includes a football pitch, a swimming pool, classrooms, staff rooms, student hostels, ICT rooms, science laboratories (biology, physics and chemistry), and dining halls, alongside its football training facilities. Admission and tuition have consistently been offered free of charge to successful applicants, with the Rivers State Government funding the bulk of the programme.
For More Information
Contact the academy directly through Rivers State Government channels for the most current application forms, exact age requirements for this cycle, and any updates to the screening schedule, since dates and specific criteria can shift slightly from year to year.
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