Feyenoord continues to grow its brand globally by signing a multiyear affiliation agreement with RISE, which becomes our fourth official partner in the United States. The purpose of the agreement is to improve the quality of the grassroots and advanced soccer programs for RISE. This partnership gives Feyenoord a footprint in Texas, the largest state, and Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States.

RISE is a full service football club, whose programming serves players of all levels, from the recreational to college-bound or professional athlete. In addition, RISE is a Founding Member of the MLS NEXT platform, which enables the club to create a premier player development environment. RISE has MLS NEXT teams in the age groups U13 to U19 which participate in an elite year-round competition, giving players professional opportunities. Current membership includes 113 clubs, 489 teams, 9,000+ players across the U.S. and Canada and features over 90% of the current youth national team player pools, making the platform the top destination for the best young players in North America. Numerous (former) RISE players have represented their countries on the youth and full National Team level. RISE also has an excellent girls program whose teams compete in the Girls Academy, which is the leading youth development platform for the best female soccer players in the United States.

Feyenoord will provide RISE with their know-how and expertise relating to development of professional youth football programs. In March 2020, RISE Academy Directors Jon Burklo and Earl Barrett visited the Feyenoord Academy with one of RISE’s youth teams for an intense training week under the guidance of Feyenoord staff. Unfortunately the trip was cut short due to the Covid-19 pandemic but ‘the feedback we received from our players, families, and coaching staff members who visited Feyenoord was overwhelmingly outstanding’, said Adrian Crespo, President at RISE. Vedad Hadzajlic, the Technical Director at RISE added ‘our staff and families had an unequaled learning and cultural experience during their visit to Feyenoord and we wanted to replicate this type of opportunity to a wider set of our constituents.’

Through the partnership with RISE, Feyenoord will now have a steady base in one of the largest cities in the USA. ‘There are many economic ties between Houston and Rotterdam’, said Gido Vader, Manager of International Relations at Feyenoord. ‘On the football side of things, RISE will be our eyes and ears in Texas and even across the border, as this is a region with a lot of untapped talent and potential. We look forward to welcoming RISE and their talents at our academy again as soon as the global pandemic is under control.’

During the multiyear partnership, extensive knowledge and experience will be shared with coaches and players of RISE SC by Feyenoord and its Academy, both in Rotterdam andHouston. Earlier on Feyenoord established long-term partnerships with St. Louis ScottGallagher and Tennessee SC, as well as adding Florida Premier FC to its American network asEducational Partner in 2019.

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See the Feyenoord Press Release.