Next Gen Draft Winners Enjoy a Unique Experience in Spain with LALIGA and EA SPORTS FC
The 40 young talents selected in Guatemala, South Africa, UAE, USA, and Vietnam participated in a development camp in Madrid, including training sessions, matches, and cultural experiences alongside LALIGA and its clubs
After rigorous regional qualifiers in Guatemala City, Rustenburg, Dubai, New York and Ho Chi Minh City, forty promising footballers—twenty girls and twenty boys—converged on Madrid from 26 May to 4 June for the Next Gen Draft finale. Hosted by LALIGA and EA SPORTS under the EA SPORTS FC FUTURES initiative, this ten-day programme combined elite on-pitch development with a deep dive into the heart of Spanish football culture.
Participants trained at Atlético de Madrid’s Los Ángeles de San Rafael complex, following LALIGA Academy’s proven methodology: technical drills, tactical workshops, performance analysis and one-on-one development modules. They then tested their skills in competitive fixtures against the youth sides of Atlético de Madrid, CD Leganés and Rayo Vallecano—an invaluable benchmark for next-generation talent.
Off the field, winners toured LALIGA’s Madrid headquarters, explored LEGENDS: The Home of Football, dined at the themed LALIGA TWENTYNINE’S restaurant and experienced the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. As Juan Florit, Head of Sports Projects at LALIGA, explains:
“We wanted to inspire these young players—on and off the pitch—by immersing them in the values and heritage of world-class football.”
For South African qualifiers from Rustenburg, this camp represents a new standard in youth development and social impact. By rewarding character alongside skill, Next Gen Draft reinforces football’s power to uplift communities.
Looking ahead, CultureCollecter calls on local academies, brands and stakeholders to partner with EA SPORTS FC FUTURES—together we can expand these life-changing opportunities, upgrade grassroots facilities and showcase our home-grown talent on the global stage.
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