Representatives from Shanghai Port FC visit LALIGA as part of strategic agreement with CFL

A delegation from Shanghai Port FC visited LALIGA headquarters in Madrid as part of a working programme under the strategic agreement between LALIGA and the CFL (Chinese Professional Football League).

The delegation, made up of executives and senior managers from the sporting, financial, management and operations departments, held an institutional meeting aimed at strengthening ties between the two organisations and advancing new areas of cooperation.

The club was particularly interested in learning more about the processes and structures of grassroots football in Spain. During the meeting, LALIGA and the club delegation analysed opportunities for collaboration in key areas of grassroots football, such as short, medium and long-term programmes for young players in Spain; technical training for coaches; advice on high-performance methodologies; and possible alliances with LALIGA clubs for sporting exchanges.

Both parties agreed that these types of exchanges represent an exceptional opportunity to promote the development of Chinese talent through European training standards.

Another of the main objectives of the trip was to learn more about the operation of elite clubs, especially in areas such as match day management, brand strategy and commercial activation, and professionalisation processes in sports structures.

During their stay in Spain, Shanghai Port FC also visited top-level clubs, including Atlético de Madrid and RCD Espanyol. These visits allow the club to learn first-hand about established European models in order to adapt practices that will drive its institutional growth. On 14 December, the delegation also attended the FC Barcelona-CA Osasuna match, an immersive experience to observe the management of a highly competitive match.

Strengthened cooperation between LALIGA and Chinese football

The visit is part of the collaboration agreement between LALIGA and the CFL, the Chinese professional football league, which aims to contribute to the growth of Chinese football through knowledge transfer, professional exchange and the creation of joint development opportunities. This agreement is complemented by other strategic initiatives such as LALIGA Academy Shanghai, grassroots football programmes promoted in China and Spain through the CFA, and the recent celebration of the III LALIGA Extratime, an event dedicated to grassroots football and bilateral cooperation.

The talks held during the day confirmed the mutual interest in continuing to advance projects that strengthen the relationship between both entities and open new avenues for the development of football in China and Spain.