LALIGA and EA SPORTS have launched the second edition of the Next Gen Draft, an international youth development programme aimed at discovering and developing young football talents while promoting the core values of the game.
The 2026 edition of the initiative will kick off in Nigeria on 30 January, with Lagos hosting the opening phase of the programme.
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The tournament will run until 1 February 2026 at the Mobolaji Johnson Stadium, Onikan.
According to the organisers, the Lagos event will feature 168 young players from across Nigeria, made up of both boys and girls.
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The programme in Lagos is being organised in collaboration with the Nationwide League One (NLO) and the Lagos State Football Association.
Nigeria is the first stop in a global project that will also take place in Mexico, Japan, Morocco and China, with the final phase scheduled to hold in Spain.
In total, about 900 children worldwide are expected to take part in the initiative.
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The Next Gen Draft is part of EA SPORTS FC FUTURES, EA SPORTS’ long-term global programme focused on investing in grassroots and community football.
The initiative combines competition, structured training and educational experiences to bring football closer to young people from different backgrounds.
Announcing the new edition on 7 January 2026, LALIGA and EA SPORTS said the programme reflects their shared commitment to creating real opportunities for the next generation of footballers, while expanding its global reach.
The second edition of the Next Gen Draft is built around a clear development pathway that blends professional football methods with education and values-based learning.
Beyond technical ability, the programme places strong emphasis on teamwork, discipline, commitment and personal growth.
Under the LALIGA FC FUTURES Next Gen Draft, participants will go through four structured phases designed to assess both football skills and character.
The first stage is the FC Rush Tournament, inspired by the EA SPORTS FC video game.
Registered players will compete in fast-paced 5v5 matches played over two seven-minute halves. More than 80 matches are expected to be played in a single day.
Official LALIGA scouts travelling from Spain will evaluate players based on technical quality, vision, attitude and overall performance. From this stage, 50 players — 25 girls and 25 boys — will be selected.
The second phase, FC FUTURES Academy Training, will see the selected players receive personalised coaching from UEFA PRO-licensed coaches from LALIGA, using LALIGA’s official training methodology.
At the end of this phase, 32 players — 16 girls and 16 boys — will advance.
In the third phase, the remaining players will take part in a full 11-a-side match against a local team. Selection at this stage will be based not only on performance but also on psycho-emotional factors such as teamwork, commitment and perseverance.
From the Lagos programme, four boys and four girls will be selected to travel to Spain for a 10-day football experience, fully sponsored by LALIGA and EA SPORTS.
The final phase, scheduled for June and July, will bring together 40 young players from all participating countries in Spain.
The players will undergo professional training sessions led by UEFA PRO coaches from LALIGA, play friendly matches against youth teams from LALIGA EA SPORTS clubs, and take part in activities designed to expose them to elite European football.
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Beyond the Next Gen Draft, EA SPORTS FC FUTURES continues to invest in grassroots football worldwide.
The programme supports more than 15 partner initiatives, donates equipment in over 10 countries, and provides a free online library of training drills for community coaches.
The project also focuses on refurbishing football pitches in underserved communities, with previous renovations carried out in Spain, South Africa, Singapore, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.
LALIGA said the initiative reflects its wider goal of using football as a tool for development, inclusion and opportunity, while giving young talents the platform to dream, grow and succeed.
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