Nigeria and Coventry FC striker, Taiwo Awoniyi has earned a diploma in global football sports directorship from the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) Business School in the UK.
The Ilorin-born striker was part of the initiative’s 2026 cohort and graduated on Monday. He had previously acquired a degree in business management from Buckinghamshire New University, Wycombe, UK, in 2022.
According to the institution’s website, the global football sports directorship is a postgraduate diploma, with Andoni Zubizarreta, former Manchester City sporting director, and Les Reed, former vice-president of Southampton FC, as programme coordinators.
“This programme aims to provide aspiring sporting directors with specialised training in the most complex and technical subjects that have never been covered in any training programme previously. Its ultimate goal is to prepare future sporting directors for the challenges that the football industry presents on a global scale,” the programme summary read.
Awoniyi also wrote; “Another proud moment for me off the pitch.
“Graduating from the PFA Business School with a Postgraduate Diploma in Global Football Sport Directorship with Merit.
“I have always believed that being a footballer shouldn’t stop you from being a student of the game and education has become an important part of that journey for me.
“Thank you to everyone at the PFA Business School, the lecturers and my colleagues I had the opportunity to learn alongside.
“And a special thank you to my family and friends for their encouragement and support throughout.
“Still playing. Still learning. The journey continues.”
Awoniyi has spent over four years in the UK since joining Nottingham Forest for a then-club-record £17.2 million.
He moved to Coventry City last month for a reported fee of £17 million. The 29-year-old’s early days at his new club have been unimpressive, and he was sent off last weekend in their 5-0 loss to Brighton in the English Premier League (EPL).
