A Decade of LaLiga in Dubai
As with almost all major sporting tournaments, the UEFA European Championship has been a rollercoaster of matches, with exceptional teamwork from underdogs’ Türkiye and Switzerland keeping the tournament wide open as we enter the quarter final stage.
The Euros has also seen some outstanding individual performances from players including Pedri, Gavi, Mbappé, and of course Jude Bellingham, whose nation-saving 95th minute overhead kick against Slovakia ultimately kept England from an untimely exit. Outside of being highly recognised sports stars in their own right, the aforementioned players also share another commonality of playing in LaLiga, one the world’s biggest sporting brands, and one of the most watched leagues, reaching 2.5 billion people per year globally.
While present in Dubai since 2014, LaLiga has been a valued part of DMCC’s 23,000-member community since 2020, where our collaboration has helped to support LaLiga’s regional growth, while engaging and promoting our own sports culture and wellbeing programmes. As highlighted by Maite Ventura, Managing Director for MENA, LaLiga upon their establishment,” Success for us is seeing more young people playing the game, whether in our academies or out at their local park. It is about creating a sustainable football culture, and we feel DMCC is the perfect place for us to achieve that.”
Since entering the region, LaLiga established its highly popular eponymous academy, aimed at providing younger players with an immersive professional football experience, with a “superior methodology recognised as the gold standard in training and development globally”. The academy also introduced a professional development track for top young talent looking to pursue football careers or obtain football scholarships to universities in the United States.
As part of its wider regional outreach and commitment to innovation, LaLiga’s DMCC office also signed a EUR 3bn, 15-year deal with Galaxy Racer (GXR) JV in September 2022, targeting Millennials and Gen Z throughout the MENA region and Indian subcontinent. With activations including documentary series, tournaments, merchandise and physical events, GXR’s reach, which includes 100 content creators with over 500m followers generating 2.5bn monthly views, is expected to offer significant opportunities for LaLiga among both region’s 1.3 billion people aged under 30.
Outside of its core business area, LaLiga has also worked closely in conjunction with the UAE’s Ministry of Economy on combatting digital piracy. Commenting on the initiative, Javier Tebas, President of LaLiga, said: “This collaboration underscores our commitment to protecting the integrity of our sport and ensuring a fair and competitive environment. We look forward to many more years of partnership and success in this vibrant region.”
In the spirit of Dubai's boundless ambition, I am confident that LaLiga will continue to thrive, inspiring future generations of footballers and fans alike, while supporting the evolution of the Esports industry in line with both the league, and DMCC’s commitment to innovation, engagement, and social responsibility.