Palermo FC announced on Sunday, March 7, that they have opened a brand new training centre, named the City Football Academy Palermo.
It has become the first training facility owned by the Rosanero club in its 123-year history. Included in the new training ground are two grass pitches, a smaller pitch dedicated to goalkeeper training, a main building, and a club house.
Exciting news for Palermo! 🏟️
Thanks to the City Football Group, the Rosanero recently unveiled their new and first training centre owned by the club. Definitely building a bright future!
📸: Palermo FC pic.twitter.com/fikDTqtP9I
— Sicilian Football (@SicilianCalcio) April 10, 2024
‘Ribbon-cutting’ ceremony inaugurates training ground facility
Palermo inaugurated the new training ground with a ‘ribbon-cutting’ ceremony, including members of the City Football Group (CFG) and Palermo FC board. As well as this, over 20 legends of the Serie B club were invited to the event.
Giovanni Gardini, CEO of Palermo FC, said: “Being here to inaugurate the first sporting centre in the history of Palermo, just over a year after the arrival of the City Football Group, is a source of great pride.”
“It is concrete proof of what this club is building day by day to ensure maximum efficiency for the team and all the people who work for the good of Palermo. Planning, sustainability and hard work: this is the only way we know to achieve our goals, which are the same as those of our supporters and all those who love these colours.”
City Football Group and Palermo FC partnership explained
The CFG added Palermo to their collection of clubs back in 2022 at a cost of £11 million. Other clubs included in the CFG are New York City, Melbourne City, Troyes, Girona, Montevideo City Torque, Mumbai City Football Club and Yokohama F Marinos.
In a club statement on their website, Palermo FC said: “Like the City Football Academies already built by CFG in Manchester, Melbourne, New York and Montevideo, CFA Palermo is designed to ensure the highest level of performance by players and staff, the application of successful training methodologies, the economic sustainability of the facility and the positive impact on the territory in terms of regeneration of the areas involved, job opportunities for the local community and respect for the environment.”