Waterloo, Belgium — July 2026. The FC Porto Football Camp in Waterloo has officially concluded a full week of training at St John’s International School in Waterloo, closing out five days of on-pitch development for over 70 young players aged 6 to 16 from across Belgium. Organised by Oxasport in partnership with Football2Be, the camp brought the FC Porto Academy methodology back to Belgian soil, giving local boys and girls a taste of the training philosophy behind one of Portugal’s most decorated football clubs.
Day One: An Official Welcome from FC Porto
The week opened with more than just a first training session. On Monday morning, players arrived at St John’s International School to register and receive their official FC Porto Camps kits, joined by many parents at drop-off — several of them lifelong FC Porto supporters, some wearing their own Porto shirts for the occasion.
Before a ball was kicked, João Ramos and Diogo Hopfer, two coaches sent directly from FC Porto, took to the front of the room for an official presentation, complete with a video introducing the players to the club’s history, methodology, and the mentality behind the “Dragons.” Only after the presentation did the group head out to the pitch for the warm-up and the first official training session of the week, following the training plan João and Diogo had prepared specifically for the camp.
A Week of Training, Tactics, and Club Culture
The following days built on that foundation. Alongside João and Diogo, a Belgian coaching team of Esteban, Gloria, Stephane, Antoine, and Manuel led daily sessions combining technical training, match situations, and further video presentations on the club, giving players a rounded picture of both the how and the why behind FC Porto’s academy approach.
Set against the modern synthetic pitches and secure campus of St John’s International School, each day followed a professional rhythm: technical work in the morning, a catered lunch, and afternoons dedicated to tactical games and match play, with the club’s methodology running through every session.
Friday: Tournament and Closing Ceremony
The week closed with a final morning training session before the players put what they had learned into practice in tournament matches, testing the technical and tactical concepts built up over the previous four days.
Following the matches, players headed to the changing rooms to prepare for a closing ceremony held in the gym hall of St John’s International School, with parents seated in the stands. Each player received their official FC Porto Camps diploma, posed for a team photo with their training group, and received an individual photo of themselves in their FC Porto kit to keep as a memory of the week.
More Than Just Football
In line with FC Porto’s academy values, the week placed as much emphasis on character as on technique. Discipline, ambition, hard work, and fair play were woven into daily sessions, reflecting the same principles the club uses to develop talent at home in Porto. Campers left with more than new skills — many grew in confidence, teamwork, and their love of the game.
A Landmark Week for FC Porto in Belgium
This week marked the first time Oxasport led the organisation of an FC Porto World Camp for youth players in Belgium, making the week a milestone for the young company as it continues to bring elite European academies within reach of local players.
“We are very proud to have organised this official FC Porto camp in Belgium,” said Alex Saliba, Founder of Oxasport. “It’s the first time we’ve brought FC Porto to Belgium, and it’s an honour to partner with a club of FC Porto’s stature, sharing their knowledge and giving local young players a truly international experience.”
Oxasport extended its thanks to every player and parent who took part, to FC Porto, to coaches João Ramos, Diogo Hopfer, Esteban, Gloria, Stephane, Antoine, and Manuel, and to St John’s International School, thanking all parties for their collaboration and trust in making the week possible. The organisers say the week was defined by the energy and passion, the true “Raça Portista” spirit, shown by every young player on the pitch.
Bringing Elite Academies to Belgium
This edition of the FC Porto Football Camp is part of Oxasport’s mission: giving young players in Brussels and across Belgium direct access to the training methodologies of Europe’s top clubs, without needing to leave the country. Waterloo joins the FC Porto Football Camp at ISB in Brussels as one of two FC Porto editions Oxasport now runs as part of its Belgian football camps program.
For families whose children caught the football bug this week and want to go further, Oxasport is an official partner for full-year football boarding schools and short-term high-performance camps at top academies in Europe.
What’s Next
With this year’s FC Porto Football Camp now complete, Oxasport is already looking ahead to future FC Porto camp dates in Belgium, as well as its full calendar of camps and boarding school placements with partner clubs across Spain and France. Parents interested in future dates, or in exploring year-round academy pathways, can find full details on the Oxasport website.
Oxasport is a sports agency specialising in elite football education programs for young players, offering both football camp experiences and full-year boarding school placements in partnership with top European clubs.