The Mobolaji Johnson Stadium has hosted the second stage of the Next Gen Drafts, an initiative that forms part of the EA SPORTS FC FUTURES grassroots social impact programme, which combines competition, training and transformative experiences to bring football closer to young people from diverse cultures and communities.
The activation, hosted at the Mobolaji Johnson Stadium (Lagos), was the second event on the calendar, with stages in Japan, Morocco and China still to come
Four boys and four girls were selected to travel to Spain to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime training camp with LaLiga and its clubs
Over 168 local boys and girls, aged between 13 and 15, took part in an immersive football experience that combined physical competition and elite training.
The participants competed in matches based on the 5v5 Rush mode featured in the EA SPORTS FC 26 video game, before progressing through a development pathway that included personalised training sessions inspired by FC FUTURES best practices and delivered by LaLiga UEFA Pro-licensed coaches, culminating in a final 11-a-side match against a local team and the selection of the top-performing players.
Following an exciting weekend of competition, four boys and four girls have been selected to travel to Madrid, Spain for a once-in-a-lifetime training camp with LaLiga and its clubs. The final selection was based on not only their sporting performance but also their ability to display and embody key values such as commitment, solidarity and effort.
The four boys selected were: Samuel Okon, Timothy Ijachi, Idris Noah, Joseph Uloko and the four girls: Tosin Rafiu, Amaka Ibegbu, Rodiat Yusuf, Sanni Aishat.
“The stage held in Nigeria has been a powerful example of how football can create meaningful opportunities for young people and communities across Africa. Through the Next Gen Drafts and our partnership with EA SPORTS FC, we are not only identifying talented players but also providing them with access to elite training environments, values-driven education and truly transformative experiences.
Nigeria has shown an enormous level of passion, quality and commitment, reinforcing the importance of continuing to invest in grassroots football as a driver of social impact and long-term development across the continent,” said Tresor Penku, Africa’s Managing Director.
Morocco, Japan and China, next stages
The upcoming stages of the programme will take place in Japan (13–15 March), Morocco (27–29 March), and China (17–19 April), and will follow the same format as the phases already held in Mexico and Nigeria.
In each stage, eight selected players will travel to Spain with all expenses covered, joining an international group of 32 young talents — eight from each stage.
During this experience, the players will take part in professional training sessions delivered by LaLiga UEFA Pro-licensed coaches, play friendly matches against youth teams from LaLiga EA SPORTS clubs, and enjoy exclusive visits and activities designed to immerse them in the elite European football environment.
EA SPORTS FC FUTURES: looking to the future
EA SPORTS FC FUTURES is EA SPORTS™’ long-term global initiative to invest in community football. In addition to supporting more than 15 partner programmes and donating equipment in over 10 countries, the project also offers a free online library of training drills for coaches to use in their daily sessions.
These exercises combine visual elements from the game with expert coaching guidance, blending the physical and digital sides of the sport to create innovative learning experiences for young players.
The project also invests in the rehabilitation of football pitches in underserved areas, promoting the sport and providing safe spaces for local youth. Previous refurbishments have taken place in Málaga (Spain), Valencia (Spain), Cape Town (South Africa), Cheng San-Seletar (Singapore), São Paulo (Brazil), Medellín (Colombia) and Guadalajara (Mexico), contributing to community revitalisation and expanding access to the game.
About LaLiga
LaLiga is the largest football ecosystem in the world. It is a private sports association composed of the 20 public limited sports companies (SADs) and clubs of LaLiga EA SPORTS and the 22 of LaLiga HYPERMOTION, and is responsible for organising professional football competitions in Spain.
LaLiga has over 258 million followers globally across social networks, on 16 platforms and in 20 different languages.
With its headquarters in Madrid (Spain) it has the most extensive international network of any sports property and is present in 35 countries through 8 offices.
The organisation carries out its social work through its foundation FUNDACIÓN LaLiga and was the world's first professional football league to establish a league for intellectually challenged footballers: LaLiga GENUINE Moeve.