AC Milan and Detect Pro Fund Launch First AC Milan Academy Pro in Ivory Coast.

Roger Hampel

Photo Credit: AC Milan

AC Milan and Detect Pro Fund have announced the launch of the first AC Milan Academy Pro in Ivory Coast, located in Dimbokro. The initiative introduces a model that combines football training with academic and personal development, based on the club’s official AC Milan Method.

Project Framework

The new Academy is designed as a center of excellence, integrating technical preparation, education, and life skills support. Detect Pro Fund, established in 2022 by Africa Capital Markets Corporation, specializes in identifying and developing young African talent and will provide local expertise and infrastructure for the project.

The partnership is built on three guiding principles: excellence, social impact, and sustainable performance. Official AC Milan coaches will work alongside local staff to apply the Milan Method, focusing on tactical discipline, technical improvement, and holistic development of male and female players.

Strategic Collaboration AC Milan Detect Pro Fund

The agreement was formally presented during a ceremony at Casa Milan with the participation of AC Milan Chief Commercial Officer Maikel Oettle and representatives of Ivorian authorities.

Maikel Oettle described the Academy as an opportunity to expand AC Milan’s role in global player development:

“This project represents an important step in our commitment to supporting the growth of talent on an international scale, providing young footballers with an environment of excellence where they can fully express their potential. At the same time, we want to accompany them on their personal development journey, instilling in them the universal values of football.”

Mike Coffi, founder of Detect Pro Fund, highlighted the long-term ambition:

“This collaboration with AC Milan makes real our ambition to create an ecosystem capable of guiding young African talents along their development path, both on and off the pitch.”

African Market and Long-Term Engagement

The Academy strengthens AC Milan’s longstanding ties with Africa. The club has historically featured numerous African players in its squads, while Fondazione Milan has supported community projects across the continent focused on education, social inclusion, and youth development through sport.

Earlier this year, AC Milan also launched a partnership in the Democratic Republic of Congo, aiming to combine football initiatives with socio-economic development programs. The Ivory Coast project marks another step in extending this approach to different parts of Africa.