• Partners with Real Madrid Foundation Educational Football Program to launch the Elite Football programme, embedding professional coaching methodologies into the curriculum.
  • Provides UAE students with seamless access to world-class facilities, including FIFA-standard pitches and a 400-metre athletics track, through its strategic partnership with ISD Dubai Sports City.
  • David Pendleton-Nash will lead high-performance and whole-school sporting development as Founding Director of Sport of Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City.

Dubai, U.A.E.: Queen Elizabeth's School, Dubai Sports City, rooted in over 450 years of academic excellence, signs a strategic partnership with ISD Dubai Sports City to provide students in the UAE with easy access to world-class sports facilities. It has also partnered with Real Madrid Foundation Educational Football Program to launch the Elite Football Programme, incorporating internationally acclaimed coaching methodologies and a nurturing sporting environment, underscoring the legacy school’s commitment to whole-child development.

Located in Dubai Sports City, ISD Dubai Sports City will provide Queen Elizabeth School students with privileged access to one of the most comprehensive sporting environments in the region. These include FIFA-standard indoor and outdoor football pitches, a 400-metre athletics track, professional tennis courts, a premium padel facility, a dedicated stadium, and a specialist Table Tennis Academy.

The Elite Football Programme, delivered in partnership with Real Madrid Foundation Educational Football Program, will further elevate the school’s sporting provision. It embeds the Spanish club’s renowned coaching methodology and structured development pathways within the QE Flourish programme, setting a new benchmark for physical education in the region and empowering students with the values of resilience, teamwork and disciplined ambition.

“The partnerships with ISD Dubai Sports City and Real Madrid Foundation Educational Football Program mark a defining moment for Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City. We are reinforcing our vision to deliver an education where academic excellence and elite sport go hand in hand. We want our students to thrive both in the classroom and beyond,” says Dan Clark, Principal of Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City.

"Dubai Sports City is home to a community of over 8,000 students, and ISD Dubai Sports City sits at the very heart of that community. That position carries real responsibility and real opportunity. We have always believed that sport is one of the most powerful tools for developing young people, not just physically, but in terms of character, resilience, and ambition. Partnerships like this one with Queen Elizabeth's School are how we fulfil that belief at scale. When we invest in the sporting development of the next generation, we are also investing in the long-term growth of sport in Dubai and across the UAE, its infrastructure, its culture, and its global standing. This is exactly the kind of legacy we are building towards," says Daniels Petrovs, CEO of ISD Dubai Sports City.

"Partnering with Queen Elizabeth's School, Dubai Sports City is a natural fit for us. Their commitment to academic excellence and whole-child development mirrors our own philosophy of delivering world-class sporting environments where young people can genuinely thrive. Queen Elizabeth’s Dubai students will have access to some of the finest facilities in the country, and we are proud to be the infrastructure behind their sporting ambition. This partnership is very much part of our long-term strategy to align ISD Dubai Sports City with the most forward-thinking educational and sporting institutions in the UAE, and to ensure that our premium offering continues to serve those who share our standards," says Simon McGuinness, General Manager of ISD Dubai Sports City.

David Pendleton-Nash has been appointed as the Founding Director of Sport for the school and will play a leading role in driving high-performance and whole-school physical education development at the purpose-built campus. A former professional athlete with a Master's degree in Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, his unique combination of elite performance experience and academic expertise ensures that Queen Elizabeth’s School’s sports offering is performance-driven and educationally rigorous.

“Access to facilities of this calibre, combined with Real Madrid methodology, allows us to establish a genuine high-performance environment within a school setting. Sports at Queen Elizabeth’s School will not simply be participatory; it will be aspirational. We are building structured pathways that identify, develop and challenge talented athletes, enabling them to compete at the highest levels available to them,” says David Pendleton-Nash, Founding Director of Sports.

Through competitions, elite training programmes and future international fixtures across the QE Global Schools network, students will have an abundance of opportunities to perform on larger stages, benchmark themselves against strong competition, and pursue excellence with discipline and ambition.

As part of the QE Flourish programme, the school has designed an enrichment framework designed to develop character and unlock the full potential of every student. They can also join the QE Elite Sports Academy, which nurtures high-potential talent through advanced training, performance tracking and exposure to regional and international sporting competitions. Students across all Year groups will also participate in the structured QE House programme throughout the academic year, fostering healthy competition, leadership and school spirit.

Upon opening for the 2026-2027 academic year, the school plans to introduce inter-school competitions across Queen Elizabeth’s School’s global network, providing UAE students with the opportunity to represent their school on an international stage.

For further information on Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City, please visit: www.qedubaisportscity.com

About Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City

Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City, is part of Queen Elizabeth’s Global Schools, delivering world-class British education in the heart of Dubai Sports City, building on more than 450 years of academic excellence. Inspired by the legacy of Queen Elizabeth’s School, Barnet, founded by royal charter in 1573 in the UK, the school draws on a longstanding tradition of high standards and character-based education.

Opening in August 2026, QE Dubai Sports City will welcome students from Nursery to Year 8 in its first year of operation (2026–2027), with a continuous learning journey through to Senior School (Year 13), leading to IGCSE and A Level pathways. The school follows the National Curriculum for England, adapted for its international context and underpinned by the core values of excellence, curiosity, integrity, community, ambition and responsibility. The school’s mission is to nurture confident, able and responsible young people, prepared to lead happy and fulfilled adult lives and to make a positive contribution to others.

Students benefit from priority access to world-class sports amenities, with professional coaching and opportunities to compete at a high level, developing critical skills for success both on and off the field. High-potential students may join the QE Elite Sports Academy, offering advanced training, performance tracking, and access to regional and international competition. Sport is also central to extra-curricular life through QE Flourish Compete, inter-school leagues, and the QE House programme.

For further information on Queen Elizabeth’s School, Dubai Sports City and student enrolments, please visit: www.qedubaisportscity.com

About ISD Dubai Sports City

ISD Dubai Sports City is a multi-sport organisation delivering professionally managed facilities, structured programmes and competitive pathways across a range of sports and disciplines. Home to the only full-size indoor football pitch in the region, indoor padel courts and premium food and beverage outlets including restaurants and coffee shops, ISD provides a world-class environment for sport, community and everyday life. ISD Dubai Sports City provides year-round coaching, leagues, camps and events for participants of all ages and abilities, supported by qualified staff and clear progression routes from grassroots participation to performance sport. ISD Dubai Sports City is home to United Football Club and the Real Madrid Foundation Educational Football Program, operating to consistent professional standards across every session, competition and experience, and committed to developing athletes, building communities and raising the standard of sport in the UAE.

About Real Madrid Foundation Educational Football Program

The Real Madrid Foundation – Educational Football Program in Dubai brings the internationally recognised Real Madrid Foundation football education methodology to the UAE. Delivered in partnership with ISD Dubai Sports City, the programme combines structured football training with personal development grounded in core values such as respect, teamwork, motivation and healthy habits. Operating in purpose-built facilities with UEFA-certified coaches, the programme focuses on individual growth through game-based learning that integrates technical, tactical, physical and cognitive aspects of the sport. Designed for boys and girls aged 4–17, the Educational Football Program fosters development both on and off the pitch, promoting life skills, character and a lifelong appreciation of the game.

Media Contact:
Tessy Mathew  
Tessy.m@qcomms.ae