LaLiga will also be a major supporter of the Premier Academy League’s upcoming National Cup to be held in Sydney in April 2022, with representatives from LaLiga Grassroots Department attending the tournament from their HQ in Madrid.

Moving forward, the partnership will offer player identification and development programs, plus coach education experiences, based on LaLiga’s methodology and run exclusively by LaLiga’s Sports Project Department. This will provide a wide range of new opportunities for LaLiga, its clubs and the local football community.

The Premier Academy League’s network of over 50 member academies and 3500 players across the country will have priority access to these opportunities through the competition’s Sydney, Melbourne & Adelaide leagues, and National Cup. The goal is for the partnership to complement, and support where beneficial, the outstanding programs and activities that private/independent academies are providing for their players and coaches.

More details about the opportunities that will be offered through this partnership will be announced over the coming months.

Glen Rolls, LaLiga’s delegate for Australia & New Zealand:

“From LaLiga, we are very proud of this partnership, with an exceptional partner in the Premier Academy League, to advance our project in the country by collaborating to develop football in Australia. We are sure that thanks to this union we will create the necessary synergies for this growth that will benefit everyone involved.”

Juan Florit, Head of Sports Projects, LaLiga:

“This partnership represents another step forward for LaLiga in an area in which we have carried out more than 450 sports projects, at different levels – from initiation to high performance – and executed by nearly 700 top Spanish coaches, selected, and trained specifically for each occasion. Through these projects, since 2015 we have trained more than 20,000 local coaches and more than 175,000 young players. We have worked in more than 40 nations around the world, and we are delighted to be able to do so now in Australia and contribute to the passion and commitment for the game across the country.”

Alasdair Gyngell, Managing Director of the Premier Academy League:

“We are so excited to collaborate with one of the most recognisable and influential football competitions in the world for the betterment of the game in Australia. This partnership is a true testament to the league, its member academies and families, and the growing reputation of the competition globally, as a premier destination for young players to compete and develop. The Premier Academy League has always sought to provide our member academies and their players with a high-quality, professional, and development-focused environment for them to enjoy and grow as a player and as an individual. We believe this partnership takes our vision to a whole new level and is a recognition of the incredible work that our academies are doing for youth development in Australia.”