The collaboration represents a significant milestone for Manchester City, PUMA and CSA, strengthening the pathway between grassroots soccer and world-class professional methodology and builds on Manchester City and PUMA’s long-term global partnership.
As part of the agreement, Manchester City will embed its world-renowned coaching program within Charlotte Soccer Academy. A PUMA King Club since 2019, CSA is one of the global sports brand’s most strategically important youth partners globally.
Two full-time Manchester City coaches will relocate to Charlotte to work alongside CSA’s leadership, coaches and players, delivering Manchester City’s elite development methodology.
The collaboration will benefit players and coaches across the entire CSA club; Manchester City’s primary technical focus will be on embedding the Club’s Play Model and development methodology within CSA’s Foundation Phase programme (U10–U12) at the Pre-ECNL level.
Manchester City coaches will work closely with CSA’s coaching staff to support the delivery of age-appropriate training aligned to City’s principles of play, helping young players develop strong technical foundations, intelligent decision-making and a positive relationship with the game.
Beyond the Foundation Phase focus, the Manchester City team will also support coach development, curriculum alignment and best practice sharing across CSA, ensuring that the impact of the partnership extends well beyond individual age groups and contributes to the long-term development of the club.
CSA players in the program will also have the opportunity to travel to Manchester for competitive play annually.
Jorgina Busquets, Managing Director – Football Education, Recreation & Partner Clubs at City Football Group, said: “This partnership with Charlotte Soccer Academy and PUMA represents something genuinely new and exciting for youth soccer in the United States. By embedding Manchester City coaches full-time within a leading grassroots club, we are creating an authentic environment where our coaching methodology can be delivered every day, not just in short bursts.
“We are proud to be working with CSA to support young players at a critical stage of their development, helping them grow as players and as people, while raising standards across the wider youth soccer ecosystem. It is also fantastic to be delivering this project alongside our long-term strategic partner PUMA, who shares our commitment to enhancing youth football opportunities around the world.
“Manchester City is committed to increasing its presence in youth soccer in the USA. This is the next step on the journey, and there is much more to come throughout this year and beyond.”
Brad Wylde, CSA Executive Director commented “We are incredibly proud to partner with Manchester City and be the first club to forge such a unique collaboration here in the United States. For many of our families, Manchester City is one of the most successful and respected soccer clubs in the world, known for developing top young talent and for playing a style of soccer admired around the globe.
“This partnership represents a major step forward for Charlotte Soccer Academy and reinforces our commitment to provide young players with the highest-quality environment to grow. Manchester City’s staff will be working, not only with our Pre-ECNL teams and players, but also across all of CSA’s U9-U12 competitive programming, adding tremendous value to every part of our youth development pathway and providing unprecedented opportunities for our youngest athletes to learn, develop and thrive under a world-class model.”
Seamus Deegan, Vice President Marketing PUMA North America, said: “PUMA is committed to supporting the next generation of athletes, and our partnerships with Charlotte Soccer Academy and Manchester City allow us to do that in a truly meaningful way. As a partner of both organisations, we are proud to support this unique collaboration. Integrating Manchester City’s coaching approach within CSA elevates the standard of youth development and creates new opportunities for youth players across the U.S.”
Parents, players and coaches will begin to see the impact of the partnership from the upcoming season, with Manchester City coaches working daily on the field in Charlotte and supporting CSA’s broader coaching framework.
You can find out more about this partnership at: You can find out more about this partnership at: https://charlottesocceracademy.com/pre-ecnl/
