La Liga have officially announced a 15-year partnership which will see regular season games played in USA and Canada.
This season, for the first time in its 89-year history, LaLiga will hold official games on foreign soil after a 15-year agreement was signed with multinational media, sports and entertainment group Relevent in New York today.
The venture, whose purpose is to cultivate and promote football in the United States and Canada as part of LaLiga's expansion, will also serve as a platform leading up to the 2026 World Cup which will take place in North America.
The operation will support the league’s growth in the United States and Canada through consumer-related activities including youth academies, development of youth football coaches, marketing agreements, consumer activations, exhibition matches and plans to stage an official LaLiga match played in the United States.
Called LaLiga North America, the newly founded organization will work to cultivate soccer culture in the U.S. and Canada using the unequalled assets of LaLiga, the world’s best soccer league featuring internationally recognized clubs and players. Moreover, North America will be exposed to the unparalleled Spanish soccer culture, renowned for its passion, drama, history, flair and creativity.
Stephen Ross, chairman and owner of Relevent, explained: “This extraordinary joint venture is the next giant leap in growing soccer’s popularity in North America. This unique relationship will create new opportunities for millions of North American soccer fans to experience the most passionate, exciting, and highest level of soccer in the world.”
LaLiga President Javier Tebas added: “We’re devoted to growing the passion for soccer around the world. This ground-breaking agreement is certain to give a major impulse to the popularity of the beautiful game in the U.S. and Canada. Relevent has filled stadiums across the U.S. with the International Champions Cup, we’re thrilled to partner with them on a joint mission to grow soccer in North America.”
Joguiaqui
187
WTF Imagining being a REAL fan that goes to the stadium e.g.Real Betis fans (for example) 1.A fan wont be able to afford trips forward and back from the USA 2.Players will freaking die from this trips will it be just in the Usa or in Spain or both???what about their families will they all move and Can't come home to their families that are set in Spain 3. Football is becoming false fake theres just false fans mostly id say 50/50 Why don't football fans love their local team thats a huge problem around the world and even here in Portugal sometimes
Ganesh Salunke
141
This is just horrible for Spanish fans imagine a Classico being played in the USA or Canada. Football is just becoming buisness orientated ruining the game. It's all about money
rmcfc9
132
I'm from the United States so I'm very excited for this. I could be able to see a Laliga game without having to travel all the way to Europe!
1jesse360
131
Now Courtois will have to leave his children again in Spain.
MkD30
67
Am a Barça fan andi think that football is a global game that needs to be enjoyed by its global fans all over the world ,this is a new era for la liga football and football as a whole, so let's enjoy this new development and I hope they get to play it in more countries aside from Canada and USA, most especially in Africa just like they played the Spanish super cup in Morroco
Barca4lifetillidie
41
This is amazing specially because there will be more opportunities for us soccer players here in the United States.maybe the age here will not be just be limited to only 18 or 19 but also more and there will good coaches who will probably take there gob seriously and maybe help some of soccer player here and give us more opportunities. I’m very thrilled about this I hope it comes fast. I’m 19 years old, and play LW, LM.