LaLiga Extra Time takes flight in Philippines

LaLiga Extra Time was finally held in the Philippines and local football will greatly benefit from it!

This particular event has been held for three seasons now all over the world, literally from Australia to Brazil, and after its success the other day here, future editions are being prepared here in Asia.

LaLiga Extra Time was held last Tuesday, its objective to share the knowledge of experts from the sports and entertainment industry under the theme “Football Priorities in the Philippines: Grassroots, Competitions, and Infrastructures”. The event, which included the participation of Villarreal CF, Philippines Football Federation (PFF), Philippines Football League (PFL), Negros Occidental RFA, University Athletic Association of Philippines (UAAP), Kaya FC, Aboitiz Group, Futbol Funatics Academy, GOM Academy and members of LALIGA, was attended by nearly 100 guests, including the Spanish Ambassador to the Philippines Miguel Utray Delgado, and representatives from NBA Philippines, BCDA, RCBC, Coca Cola, TikTok Philippines, Manila Central University, among others.

“After 7 years in the country, we are aware that football in the Philippines is at a clear moment of boom where the right momentum can take it to new heights, and LaLiga wants to be part of it. For instance, with such inspiring and ambitious projects as the LaLiga Youth Tournament, which was announced today. Surrounded by some of the most influential players in the sports industry, LaLiga Extra Time has also served to lay some foundations to ensure a prosperous future for football in the country”, said Iván Codina, Managing Director of LaLiga for Southeast Asia, Japan, South Korea and Australia.

Javier López-Sanz Chulvi, LaLiga’s representative in the Philippines, together with Rely San Agustin (UAAP Commissioner and President of RSA1 Sports Group) and Ed Pasion (President of Epic Management Inc.) unveiled some of the details about the upcoming LaLiga Youth Tournament, a LaLiga regional project for SEA that will bring soon this successful grassroots football tournament for local clubs to the country for the first time.

Another great grassroots project in the region is the Villarreal Philippines Academy, based in Alabang, Muntinlupa City. Alejandro “Nano” Márquez (Villarreal CF international coach), and Eumir Siao (Villarreal Philippines Academy Director) explained the details of this remarkable milestone for the country, which as of this April has the first full-time academy of a Spanish club, and which has already taken its first steps with the celebration of a camp last weekend.

Beyond these two big announcements, the first of the two panels dealt with the development of grassroots football in the Philippines by the hand of Darren Hartmann (CEO and Founder of GOM Academy), Dave Javellana (Head of Grassroots at PFF), Candice Grey del Rosario (Co-founder and Program Director at Futbol Funatics) and Paul Tolentino (President and General Manager at Kaya FC). The second panel dealt with the importance of the proper infrastructures to build a successful football professional structure, and was carried by Rely San Agustin (UAAP Commissioner and President of RSA1 Sports Group), Coco Torre (Head of Competitions at PFF), Clifford Academia (VP Lima Operations at Aboitiz Group), and Jose Miguel Valmayor (President of Negros Occidental RFA). 

All of them brought their experience and wisdom cultivated over the years in the sports and entertainment industry to build an enriching debate around the present and the future of football at this exciting time.