LALIGA Academy opens new training centre in Guatemala

LALIGA continues its expansion in Latin America with the opening of a new academy in Guatemala City. In partnership with the American School of Guatemala, the academy will offer an exclusive programme for its students, providing comprehensive football training to the highest standards under the LALIGA methodology.

The new LALIGA Academy in Guatemala will cater exclusively to the students of the American School, enhancing their sports development and benefiting approximately 300 young people. The programme will consist of 24 training groups and will be held Monday to Friday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM. In addition to the student training, the academy will offer specialised training sessions for the school's entire coaching staff, which includes nine coaches and four assistants.

The training facility is equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure to ensure optimal development of the students. It features an 11-a-side football pitch (F11), a 9-a-side football pitch (F9) and two 5-a-side football pitches (F5).

The academy will be led by a UEFA PRO-licensed technical director from LALIGA, who is already in Guatemala to spearhead the project, thus ensuring the correct implementation of the Spanish competition's training concepts in the programmes taught. The main objective will be to provide a holistic football education that fosters growth not only in sports but also in academics and personal development. Furthermore, the academy’s operations and implementation of the methodology will be directly overseen from LALIGA headquarters in Madrid by LALIGA's Sports Projects team.

“This academy represents a major milestone for LALIGA's growth in Central America, as it becomes our first academy in the region. One of our main objectives is to help promote and develop grassroots football worldwide, We know there's tremendous talent in Guatemala which we aim to nurture through our methodologies”, said Martín Pardo, LALIGA delegate in Guatemala.

"Global Sports Corporation is in constant pursuit of sporting excellence for its clients, and today marks a new milestone with the formal establishment of LALIGA Academy at the American School of Guatemala. This strategic partnership is the natural evolution of a relationship that began with summer football camps in 2023 and 2024, now solidified into an annual programme of comprehensive football training and development.

"LALIGA Academy is another step in our commitment to the holistic development of student-athletes, providing access to world-class methodologies, expert coaching, and the opportunity to enhance their football skills in an environment of excellence. At the same time, we reinforce fundamental values such as teamwork, discipline, and the pursuit of excellence - principles that we fully share with LALIGA,” stated Christopher Prentice, CEO Global Sports Corporation. 

LALIGA stands as a pioneer in the development of grassroots football among the major European leagues, thanks to its network of academies that focus on nurturing young talent. Currently, LALIGA operates nine permanent football academies across the world, with locations in the United States, China, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, and Malaysia.