Premier League footballers and former players gathered at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium for the 2026 PFA Business School graduation ceremony, wearing caps and gowns like an Oxbridge event. Among the graduates were Everton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, 28, who completed a postgraduate diploma in global football sport directorship despite being in peak form, and Coventry City striker Taiwo Awoniyi, 29, who earned his third qualification, including a business management degree and another diploma. Awoniyi, born in Ilorin, Nigeria, emphasized education as a promise to his father, Solomon, and discussed overcoming a serious 2025 injury that left him in a medically induced coma.

Cesar Azpilicueta shared how studying on the morning of the 2021 Champions League final helped him stay focused before captaining Chelsea to victory over Manchester City in Porto. Dewsbury-Hall sought advice from former Everton midfielder Tim Cahill, now in Qatari football, on goal-scoring techniques. The players stressed that education prepares them for life beyond football, challenging stereotypes about athlete intelligence and affirming their commitment to personal development.