US La Liga youth football initiative launched

Avatar

La Liga North America has created a youth football platform titled La Liga Next to develop and recruit talent in the United States.

La Liga Next is set to offer opportunities to American football players between 14 and 18 years old, such as the chance to play for a La Liga youth club.

Talent Identification will take place across the country between June 21st and July 13th. Around 60 players from the trials will then be selected to travel to Madrid for a Spanish Showcase.

Over 10 days, the players will train and compete under the supervision of La Liga youth club technical directors. The best player from each age group will then be recruited to attend a training camp with a La Liga youth club.

“This project is part of La Liga North America’s action plan to contribute to the growth of soccer in the United States, while continuing to provide all resources and opportunities to help American talent in its preparation for the 2026 World Cup,” La Liga said.

Launched in co-operation with global sports agency ISL, La Liga believes that the initiative will open the doors of European soccer to American players.

“La Liga Next aims to contribute to the development of young American talent, providing players an opportunity to showcase their talent, an experience that will step up their game, and ultimately, the chance to kick off their dream of becoming a professional soccer player and one day represent their country in the World Cup,” VP of Strategy & Business Development for La Liga North America, Nicolás García Hemme said.

“Our goal is to collaborate with local clubs to become their international recruitment arm and continue to add new locations every year in different American regions.”

La Liga Next will be the first recruitment process that is led by an international sports league for young footballers in the United States.

“The common trait of all these American players is that they have experience overseas,” ISL Co-founder, Marc Segarra said.

“For that reason, we strongly believe that having an established path such as La Liga Next will enable aspiring professional soccer players in the United States achieve their dreams.”

Previous ArticleNext Article

Female Football Week kicks off across Northern NSW

Avatar
Image Credit: Shutterstock

Female Football Week has officially begun across Northern NSW, with a program of gala days, networking events and awards ceremonies running until Sunday May 17, marking a ten-day celebration that organisers say reflects both the growth of women’s football in the region and the work still required to sustain it.

The national initiative, now a fixture on the football calendar, provides a dedicated period of visibility for female participants across all levels of the game from players, coaches, referees to volunteers, whose contributions have historically received less recognition than their male counterparts.

NNSWF Participation and Women’s Football Officer Serena Carter said the week offered something for everyone connected to women’s football in the region.

“Female Football Week provides a fantastic chance to highlight the dedication and skill of female players, coaches, referees and volunteers across the northern NSW community,” Carter said. “There’s something for everyone to enjoy, from grassroots participants to elite competitors.”

Women’s football in northern NSW spans remote and regional communities where clubs operate on limited resources, alongside more established metropolitan programs with clearer development pathways. Female Football Week creates a moment of shared recognition across that spectrum and acknowledges the role volunteers play, from running the canteen to progressing through the pathway.

Northern NSW Football has recorded some of its strongest participation numbers in women’s and girls’ football in recent seasons, a trend that has placed increasing pressure on clubs and facilities to keep pace. The week’s events offer clubs an opportunity to showcase their commitment to diversity and inclusion at a time when that commitment is being tested by growth.

Football NNSW Releases Infrastructure Strategies as Participation Growth Outpaces Facilities

Avatar
Image Credit: Shutterstock

Northern NSW Football has unveiled bespoke infrastructure strategies for each of its seven member zones, providing an evidence-based roadmap for facility investment across the region as continued participation growth exposes critical gaps in the sporting infrastructure available to support it.

The Member Zone Infrastructure Strategies draw on data across participation rates, population growth and existing facility conditions to map what each zone has, what it needs and where investment will have the greatest impact. Identified gaps include drainage, lighting and inclusive changerooms – the foundational infrastructure that determines whether facilities are functional, safe and accessible year-round.

NNSWF Government Relations Manager Gary Fisher said the strategies represented a significant step toward smarter, more targeted investment across the region.

“By bringing together key data on participation, population growth and existing infrastructure, these strategies give us a stronger understanding of where the needs are greatest and where investment will have the most impact,” Fisher said. “Ultimately we want to create more inclusive and accessible environments for everyone involved in the game while building stronger, more sustainable clubs and communities for the future.”

Northern NSW Football has previously noted that participation across the region is at record levels and still rising, with women’s and girls’ football a significant driver of that growth. Infrastructure that was built for a smaller and less diverse participation base is increasingly unable to meet current demand, let alone accommodate future growth.

The strategies are also designed to strengthen NNSWF’s alignment with government funding priorities, providing the evidence base needed to support grant applications and long-term facility planning across all seven zones.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend