LaLiga opens Singapore office

LaLiga today announced its plans to expand its presence in Asia during the opening of its official Singapore office. The Spanish Ambassador to Singapore Miguel Angel Navarro Portera, Provisional Council President of the Football Association of Singapore and Deputy Chairman of FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee Lim Kia Tong as well as LaLiga Ambassadors Fernando Morientes, Carolina Marin and Fernando Sanz were among the well-known names who attended the launch at the National Gallery Singapore.

LaLiga’s objective is to increase its presence and popularity in the region, in particular in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. The Singapore office which will be run by Ivan Codina, the former Deputy Director and Head of Football at Dentsu Sports Asia.

President Javier Tebas heralded the launch as another significant step for LaLiga in the Asian market. The league already has offices in Dubai, China and India, the latter being launched as recently as last year.

“For us, Singapore will be the gateway to East Asia and a platform from which to reach a far greater number of fans. We have changed kickoff schedules so that they can be seen at reasonable times here in Asia and we will continue to take steps to ensure that this part of the world can enjoy LaLiga as much as possible,” he said.

LaLiga Ambassador Fernando Morientes said: “I am very excited to be visiting Singapore for the launch of this special project. As LaLiga Ambassadors, our biggest responsibility is to represent the best league in the world and to help keep our fans engaged with the sport. We want to get as close to our fans as possible, not only in Spain but across the world.”

The event was also the first as a LaLiga Ambassador for Olympic badminton champion Carolina Marin. “It’s very special for me to become a LaLiga Ambassador and to be here with all of you in Singapore,” she said.

Following the inauguration, LaLiga invited footballers from Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand along with key media personnel, children from a local NGO and a few lucky fans to play a 6-a-side football match captained by Morientes and Sanz. Among the players were former Singapore national team captain Aleksander Duric, 2016 FIFA Puskas Award-winner Mohd Faiz Bin Subri, Indonesian defender Arthur Irawan, Singapore’s very own Gabriel Quak and Vietnam Under-23 star Tran Huu Dong Trieu. Carolina Marin also took part in a game of Chapteh, a very popular sport in Singapore, together with two fans who won competitions on social media.