THE LAUNCHING OF THE FIRST AC MILAN ACADEMY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

AC Milan, in partnership with Black&Red Pumas LLC, is proud to announce AC Milan Academy Virginia, the first Rossoneri Academy project in the United States that will officially open in spring 2024 in Fairfax, Virginia and the Washington Metropolitan Area (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia).

The training program will directly involve boys and girls from 5 to 17 years old in an elite technical program that will support them in their sporting and personal growth.

AC Milan will spread their experience and tradition through a team of sporting professionals who are specialists in the AC Milan Method. These experts will coordinate with and train the local technical staff that will support the personal and sporting growth of the youngsters involved in the Academy on a daily basis.

With passion and expertise, the Club intends to openly share its technical and organisational methodologies and contribute to the promotion of a healthy sporting culture, as well as supporting initiatives dedicated to getting the youngest amongst us into sport.

The project is expected to kick off in December with a five-day Camp ahead of the official opening of the AC Milan Academy in the spring of 2024, with the Club planning to further develop the project in North America in the future.

Maikel Oettle, Chief Commercial Officer of AC Milan, affirmed: "AC Milan Academy Virginia is another piece in the consolidation process of the AC Milan brand on a global level. The launch of the AC Milan Academy project in the US territory attests to our commitment and our contribution to the promotion of football in North America, through which we aim to export the values of AC Milan worldwide."

Dario Scatena, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Black & Red Pumas LLC, added: "As an Italian and an AC Milan fan, I am very pleased with this collaboration that will bring the colours and values of AC Milan and Italian traditions to the American territory. I am very confident that the excellence and the AC Milan Method will bring great benefits, firstly for the young players in their personal growth, and then for American soccer. This is a family for me, and I look forward to both girls and boys feeling part of this great family and growing in every aspect with its values."

Preceded by the recent arrival of the AC Milan Junior Camp in Canada, AC Milan Academy Virginia is part of the Club's wider project which aims to strengthen the AC Milan brand in strategic areas such as North America, where football is experiencing a moment of exponential growth and is strongly linked to the Rossoneri. According to the findings of a Nielsen study, there are approximately 43 million fans in the territory, making it the most followed Italian club in the US. Furthermore, according to research conducted by international market research and analysis company YouGov, AC Milan is the most popular Italian football brand in the United States.

For more information about AC Milan Academy Virginia and how to sign up, please visit the following website: https://www.acmilanacademyvirginia.com/