Thibaut Courtois teams up with Hull-based Federation of Sport
17 April 2025
An active Real Madrid goalkeeper teaming up with an esports startup in Hull? We bet you didn’t expect that kind of news when you woke up this morning! The Federation of Sports, a groundbreaking sports and gaming hub in Hull’s Old Town, opened its doors in December of 2024 and just a few months later, the project has managed to attract a major high-profile partner. The project’s team recently announced that current Real Madrid and Belgium national team goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has joined as an investor and a partner. It’s not the Belgian’s first venture into the world of esports, as he launched his own esports team last year, but it is his first involvement with esports in the UK.
Focus on esports and community
The Federation of Sport (FoS) is not just any kind of esports initiative in the north of England. What is concerns here is a state-of-the-art sports and gaming hub that attracted almost £ 2 million in investments, located right in the heart of Hull’s Old Town. It consists of a impressive range of facilities and setups, including various esports arenas, gaming booths for Xbox and PlayStation 5, and sim racing setups. The Federation of Sports also boasts a virtual golf course and an advanced platform for virtual darts.
In contrast with several other gaming and esports hubs that have popped up in the United Kingdom in the past few years, the ultimate goal of the Federation of Sport is not necessarily to identify and train competitive esports talent, but to strengthen the local community. The facilities cater to players and visitors of all ages and skill levels, and was designed to bring together friends and families in a brand-new interactive environment. This is also what attracted Thibaut Courtois to the project, according to himself.
“The Federation of Sport represents everything I believe in - using technology not just for entertainment but as a way to build communities”, says the Real Madrid goalkeeper, “[…] As someone who’s passionate about sim sports and e-sports, I see this as an opportunity to inspire young people to connect, compete and collaborate in a positive environment. It’s about getting them out of their rooms and into a space where they can share their love for gaming with others.”
Looking for connections
Courtois’s words are echoed by Antonio Tombanane, director at the Federation of Sport, who sees the involvement of the two-time Champions League winner as a major boost for the project. That’s understandable, as the Belgian is a major name in world football, including a 5-year stint in the Premier League at Chelsea, where he won two league titles and an FA Cup to boot.
“Thibaut’s passion for sim sports aligns perfectly with what we’re building at the Federation of Sport”, says Tombanane, “His belief in community through gaming strengthens our mission to create a space where people can connect through shared experiences. Having him on board elevates our project to new heights.”