MANILA, OCTOBER 18, 2024 - A total of 80 teams and 1,380 young talents will compete
this weekend in front of more than 7,000 fans in the first edition of the LALIGA Youth
Tournament in the Philippines.
This grassroots tournament is organized by LALIGA together with RSA 1 Group and Epic Management and will take place between 18 and 20 October, paving the way for the Philippines to join the long list of countries where LALIGA Youth Tournament has already been held, such as Malaysia and Indonesia.
The 80 participating teams are divided into five age categories: 18 U18 teams, 20 U10
teams, 22 U12 teams, 12 U14 teams and 8 U16 teams. The Tournament has attracted players from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Philippines, Brunei, Taiwan, Hong Kong
and China, and they will be accompanied by a staff of around 180 coaches and trainers.
LALIGA Youth Tournament aims to become the benchmark tournament in grassroots
football in the region through its multiple local editions and to boost football talent
throughout the Southeast Asian region. There are also plans to hold a larger
tournament at regional level.
“LALIGA Youth Tournament, since its launch in 2021, has been very well received in all
its editions. The work of LALIGA and its clubs is a global reference in grassroots
football, and this gives us great experience in this field," says Iván
Codina, Director of the Singapore Office.
He added: "With this kind of project, we want to help boost the development of young talent in Asia, which has enormous potential. In this sense, LALIGA Youth Tournament is differential for the commitment to offer a unique experience for all participants, both players and attendees."
The impact of LALIGA's projects
Meanwhile, Rely San Agustin, the president of RSA 1 Group has this to say.
“We are very excited to host the first LALIGA Youth Tournament in the Philippines and
very honored to be associated with one of the most distinguished football organizations
in the world. Through this partnership with LALIGA, we hope to inspire our future
generation of footballers to dream big and aspire for greatness.” said San Agustin.
The excellent summer of Spanish football, which has won both Euro 2024 and the
men's football gold medal at the Olympics, as well as the numerous titles won by the
women's teams this season, shows the strength of Spanish football.
Specifically at Euro 2024, 25 of the 26 players came from the youth teams of 11 different LALIGA clubs, a clear indicator of the health of the talent pool that Spanish academies produce year after year to complement the arrival of established stars from abroad.
These are the results of work that has been carried out for years in the grassroots football and youth academies of LALIGA clubs, and which LALIGA seeks to export to support the growth of world football.
In addition, LALIGA has launched a new initiative focused on the youth and that is
present in all LALIGA’s grassroots projects: LALIGA VS BULLYING, appealing to
football's fundamental values: team spirit, unity, collective strength and sportsmanship.
Under the concept ‘A team doesn't let anyone stand alone,' this campaign is focused
on highlighting an existing problem in society and football'ss ability to change the rules
and to promote football as a social transformation tool.
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