Imatran Palloseura visit TW Braga
Since 2016, TW Braga has proudly shared a special and enduring partnership with Imatran Palloseura (IPS), a respected youth academy based in Imatra, Eastern Finland. What began as a chance meeting between TW Braga Academy Director, Tim Wareing, and IPS Club President, Emilio Urpalainen, has grown into a genuine football friendship that bridges over 1,000 miles between Belfast and Finland.
Tim and Emilio
Every year, Tim Wareing travels to Imatra to lead the IPS Elite Camp, a high-level football clinic designed to develop and inspire young Finnish players. The camp focuses not only on technical and tactical growth but also on sharing the TW Braga coaching philosophy—centred around creativity, teamwork, and player development.
The partnership has continued to thrive year after year, pausing only during the Covid-19 pandemic, and has since returned stronger than ever.
Each summer, a select group of talented IPS players are chosen from the Elite Camp to travel to Belfast, where they spend a week training with TW Braga.
During their stay, they:
- Train alongside TW Braga players
- Experience life inside a competitive academy environment
- Play friendly matches against local opposition
- Represent Braga colours with pride in Northern Ireland
But the partnership extends far beyond football. The Belfast camp has become a cultural exchange—an opportunity for players to form lifelong friendships, experience new surroundings, and share a common language through football.
The ongoing connection between Tim and Emilio is at the heart of this relationship. Built on mutual respect and a shared passion for youth development, both academies continue to learn from and inspire one another—helping young players grow both on and off the pitch.
As the partnership enters its next chapter, TW Braga and IPS remain united in their mission: to nurture the next generation of players through opportunity, understanding, and the universal spirit of the game.
