LALIGA EXTRATIME Returns to Kuala Lumpur
LALIGA EXTRATIME Returns to Kuala Lumpur, Putting Spotlight on Sponsorship and Youth Football
Kuala Lumpur, 19 June 2025 – For the second year running, Kuala Lumpur played host to LALIGA EXTRATIME, a growing fixture in the international sports calendar that continues to carve its relevance within Malaysia’s football scene. Held at the Meliá Kuala Lumpur, the event brought together key voices across the sports, media, and grassroots development sectors – reaffirming LALIGA’s intent to connect more deeply with local audiences and stakeholders.
This year’s edition focused on two crucial conversations for Malaysian football: sports sponsorship and youth development. The format offered a platform for real industry dialogue, with panelists ranging from international football representatives to homegrown clubs and brands. Among the highlights was the official announcement of the LALIGA Youth Tournament Malaysia 2025, set to kick off this July.
Strong Turnout, Stronger Conversations
The event began with opening remarks from Datuk Zainal Abidin Hassan, representing the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), and José Luis Pardo, the Spanish Ambassador to Malaysia — both of whom reaffirmed the potential of events like these to bridge Spanish and Malaysian football.
The first panel took a deep dive into sports sponsorship, featuring speakers from LALIGA, ASTRO, Ampersand Sports, MILO Malaysia, Grab, and Selangor FC. The discussion navigated how strategic brand partnerships are becoming central to football’s commercial growth, both globally and locally.
LALIGA Malaysia’s Head, Adrián Prol, shared that the league’s global commercial revenue has more than doubled in the past seven years — from €74 million to over €160 million. For Malaysia specifically, he pointed to a clear goal: long-term sponsorship collaborations that go beyond one-off projects, with industries like energy, aviation, finance, and lifestyle being areas of interest.
What stood out in the discussion was the emphasis on flexibility and local relevance — with panelists highlighting the role of media platforms, creative campaigns, and the need for authenticity in connecting with Malaysian fans.
Youth Development Takes Centre Stage
The second panel focused on grassroots and youth football – an area of growing concern and opportunity in Malaysia. Participants included representatives from LALIGA Academy Malaysia, FAM, JDT FC Grassroots, and Villarreal Academy Malaysia, alongside special input from Sambil Park and RCD Espanyol, who shared insights into international academy models and pathways for young players.
The conversation went beyond just player development – touching on structure, access, and the value of building consistent youth ecosystems supported by both local clubs and international partners.
More Than Just a Networking Event
LALIGA EXTRATIME may be designed as an exclusive networking format, but its real impact lies in the conversations sparked — and the bridges it continues to build between Malaysian football and the wider global football community. With a second successful edition now in the books, and the youth tournament just around the corner, the momentum continues.
It’s clear that beyond the brand visibility and big names, there’s a growing desire to invest in the game from the ground up — a sentiment that resonates deeply with the Malaysian football scene, especially among those working to grow it from grassroots to greatness.
LALIGA Looks to Malaysia's Grassroots Football for the Future
At the heart of this year’s LALIGA EXTRATIME was a clear message: Malaysia’s football future lies in the grassroots — and LALIGA is not just paying attention, but actively investing in that journey.
Globally, LALIGA’s reach into youth football is massive. Over the past few years, they’ve led more than 840 grassroots projects across 57 countries, involving over 240,000 young players, 800 LALIGA coaches, and 25,000 local coaches. It’s an effort that goes beyond branding — it’s about building football from the ground up, in real and sustainable ways.
A Strong Footing in Malaysia
Malaysia holds a special spot in that global map. It’s home to one of just eight official LALIGA Academies in the world — the LALIGA Academy Malaysia, a space where players aged 8 to 18 receive comprehensive training guided by the LALIGA methodology, under the leadership of technical director Diego Gutierrez.
But training is only one part of the equation. Opportunities to compete and grow are just as vital — and that’s where initiatives like the LALIGA Youth League and the LALIGA Youth Tournament Malaysia come in.
This year’s fifth edition of the Youth Tournament was officially announced during the EXTRATIME event, with Sambil Park – one of the key organizers – revealing that over 70 teams from 9 countries, including China, India, and Pakistan, are already confirmed. What began right here in Malaysia has now expanded to five other countries in the region — a testament to the tournament’s growing impact.
More Than Just a Platform
“LALIGA is recognized worldwide for its support of grassroots football, and its clubs' youth academies are consistently among the best in the world,” shared Adrián Prol, LALIGA’s Head in Malaysia. “We have a strong commitment to promoting the development of football around the world, and we’re delighted to host the LALIGA Youth Tournament once again in Malaysia.”
Clubs like Villarreal CF and RCD Espanyol, both present at the event, have already demonstrated what strong academy structures can produce — and now they’re engaging directly with the Malaysian grassroots ecosystem.
A Shared Aspiration
From where we stand locally, the importance of grassroots football is something many Malaysians have long understood — from community futsal courts to weekend leagues and school tournaments. What’s promising now is seeing global institutions like LALIGA meet that same passion with structure, opportunity, and long-term support.
For many kids playing the game here, these initiatives aren’t just events — they’re doorways. And perhaps that’s the most exciting takeaway from LALIGA EXTRATIME 2025: not just the exchange of knowledge, but the quiet, growing belief that Malaysia’s football stories are only just beginning.