Inside Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, a group of footballers and former players swapped their kits for caps and gowns — celebrating academic achievement at the 2026 graduation ceremony of the PFA Business School.

Among the graduates were Everton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Coventry City striker Taiwo Awoniyi, each having completed a postgraduate diploma in global football sport directorship while continuing their playing careers.

Studying on the morning of a Champions League final

Former Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta addressed the cohort, recounting how he spent part of the morning before the 2021 UEFA Champions League final with his coursework — a routine that helped settle his nerves before he led Chelsea to a 1-0 victory over Manchester City in Porto.

"Normally I'd have a nap after lunch if the game was later in the day, but that day it was impossible," Azpilicueta told BBC Sport. "Having my studies also helped me focus and improve myself away from football."

Azpilicueta, who retired at the end of last season after spells at Atletico Madrid and Sevilla, previously completed an MBA at Harvard University during his nine-year tenure at Chelsea — a pursuit he began after turning professional with hometown club Osasuna at 17. He says he will not be rushing into his next role but is clear that the programme offers more than career planning: "It's not only about preparing for life after football. It's about becoming a better version of yourself in your football career as well."

Dewsbury-Hall: always learning

Dewsbury-Hall, 28, took the train from Merseyside to London for the ceremony. The former Leicester City and Chelsea midfielder, now in fine form at Everton, says the qualification was a natural extension of his drive to keep developing.

"I hope I've got a long time left in football. But as a person, I'm always trying to learn and develop away from the pitch," he told BBC Sport. "If the time ever comes when an opportunity presents itself, luckily I've got something that can help me."

He admits to receiving "weird looks" while studying on an iPad during the journey home from away fixtures — but remains unapologetic. "You'd be surprised how many intelligent people there are in football," he added. "Who knows where it will lead?"

Awoniyi's promise to his father

Awoniyi, 29, joined Coventry City from Nottingham Forest this summer and continues to represent Nigeria as they chase qualification for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The diploma is his third academic qualification, following a degree in business management and an earlier diploma.

His father, Solomon, is well known for the strict emphasis he placed on education — a standard that at times nearly steered Awoniyi away from football altogether. The Ilorin-born striker progressed through the Imperial Soccer Academy and Liverpool before making his reputation in Germany with Union Berlin.

"I always felt education was important. It was a promise I made to my dad that if I played football, I would keep studying," Awoniyi said. "That's what I have done and I am proud of it."

He was speaking months after a harrowing injury in May 2025, when a collision with a goalpost while playing for Nottingham Forest against Leicester City caused him to rupture an intestine, leaving him in a medically induced coma. The experience reinforced his conviction that there is more to life than the game.

"There are a lot of things that are bigger than football," he said. "Yes, football is our passion, but we are normal human beings as well and maybe that's something the world doesn't always see."

A course built around a football calendar

The PFA Business School programme is structured to run alongside a professional career, with seminars timed to avoid clashes with matches and training. Guest sessions from industry figures — including Brighton chief executive Paul Barber — give students insight into how different parts of football's business operate.

Wycombe Wanderers defender Steve Cook, a former Bournemouth captain in the Premier League, also graduated, returning to formal study for the first time since school as he approaches the end of his playing career.

This year's cohort may yet produce the coaches, executives, and sporting directors who shape the next generation of the game.