Royal Wharf Football Club: More than a club, a community
Written by Iman Ogunlola 17th September 2026
Royal Wharf FC: A short documentary on grassroots football
Founded in 2021 by ex-Benfica Academy professional Vítor Hugo Montiero (31), Royal Wharf Football Academy is a club where children don’t only focus on development but are accepted into a community, beyond how well they can kick a ball.
A bit about the head coach
At the age of 7, Vítor Hugo Montiero (31), known to the community as Coach V, took interest in football, which he developed whilst playing in clubs and on the streets of Portugal. He played as a forward for Benfica U15s Academy during the 2008/09 season, as well as other grassroots Portuguese clubs, before finding his way into a career in coaching.
“One thing I am particularly proud of is that I shared squads with a number of players who went on to have incredible professional careers, including João Cancelo, Bernardo Silva, Ricardo Horta, Bruno Varela, and others who have represented Portugal at the highest level.”
And after playing and coaching for different football clubs, Coach V decided to start his own.
“I felt like I had a strong value to help the players become professionals one day.”
“I started my own football club so I could share my own knowledge and philosophy.”
Beginning in Thames Barrier Park with boys aged 4 and 5, the club has quickly expanded from 30 to 700 members, not only expanding in numbers but also in demographics. Alongside the boy’s football clubs, RWFC hosts weekly sessions on Saturday mornings for nursery children and reception and year 1 girls in Oasis Academy. On Saturday afternoons, older girls from the ages of 7 to 12 have sessions as well. The club hopes to have a permanent training ground such as a stadium to provide players with a consistent space to train.
“That first session marked the beginning of what has grown into the community club we have today. It is amazing to look back and see how far we have come since those first training sessions in Thames Barrier Park.” - Coach V
The Players
Royal Wharf Football Club welcomes all children regardless of their abilities. Many members of the community describe Royal Wharf FC as “a great start-up club.”
“It feels like a family, and when someone is upset, everyone supports them” – Silaamei, U11 boy
Within sessions, you can find the players split into smaller groups with different coaches, so no child feels overlooked. Players are frequently helped to perfect their technique in drills and matches, and the players are encouraged to foster a safe space for others to grow.
The Parents
“It’s more than a club; it’s a community.” – Father of Sebastian (U11 boy)
“We come a long way to come here, but my son loves it here, so this is what we do.” – Father of Eli (U11 boy)
At Royal Docks Academy and Oasis Academy, where the players often train, many parents stay to support and cheer their children on. This can often help increase the child’s confidence but can also add external pressure. This is something the coaches pay attention to, to advise both players and parents on the best ways their child can be supported when playing and discussing football.
Competition
Through tournaments and training with academies, the club aims to foster competitiveness and development. Coach V has worked and made it possible for players to attend Academies, such as with Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea, to experience a higher level of play. He also organised a tournament for the children in Portugal over the summer, introducing the players to different experiences.
The extra mile
On weekends, Coach V can be found in the local Thames Barrier park helping players with extra practice.
“He helps me practice my low saves, my high diving saves, my ball handling, and my distributions every weekend” – Barack, 11, Ex-RWFC Goalkeeper
This helps the players develop their specific positions to strengthen their performance in matches.
The challenge
Whilst RWFC currently has a few sponsors such as Ballymore, Windjammer, England Football, and London FA, the club’s biggest dream is to eventually have their own training ground.
“Where I grew up, [Portugal], we always had a clubhouse. We always had a café, an area where you had the trophies. We could go and spend time there, watch the adults play. That’s what football is about. A lot of grassroots football clubs don’t have that.” – Coach V
Having their own facilities would give the club fewer restrictions allowing them to host more friendlies and tournaments. It would also increase the sense of community and consistency as the club would overcome the current challenge of moving between training grounds. This would also impact the wider community, as access would be provided to everyone, including local schools, community groups, and families, hopefully for generations to come.
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