The Group will provide the know-how and expertise for the construction of an Official Licensed City Football Academy in Bolivia's largest city, Santa Cruz de la Sierra. CFG's contribution will focus not only on the creation of the facility, but will also include active support on coaching, methodology, youth scouting, medical and sports science, and safeguarding, among others.

The new training facility will follow the design and the features of the CFG standard of a City Football Academy, replicating the models of the four existing facilities in the world: Manchester (United Kingdom), Melbourne (Australia), New York (USA) and Montevideo (Uruguay).

The agreement of a new licensed football facility is CFG's first of its kind and extends the alliance between the Group and its first Partner Club, Club Bolivar, as well as strengthens the bond with Marcelo Claure, President of the Bolivian side.

The City Football Academy Santa Cruz will feature four football pitches, a gym, a dining room, a study center, as well as a separate residence with a capacity for sixty players. The construction of the facility will take place throughout 2022 and it will open in early 2023.

Ferran Soriano, CEO of City Football Group, said:

“We are very proud to announce the creation of our first Official Licensed City Football Academy in the world, in a country with untapped potential. Our know-how and expertise in the completion of a facility of this nature will help to replicate the successful CFA model we already enjoy in four other cities around the globe.

“The agreement allows us to go above and beyond in our innovative partnership with Club Bolivar and Marcelo Claure, as well as make us proud to contribute to the growth and development of both the club and hopefully Bolivian football more broadly.”

Marcelo Claure, President of Club Bolivar, added:

“We are extremely excited to work together with City Football Group in the building of a new training facility. The creation of the City Football Academy Santa Cruz will boost the club's long-term growth strategy and ambition, based on the professionalisation and development of the club.

“The new sports infrastructure will strive to become the best elite youth development academy in the country, reinforcing the vision in our Plan Centenario to create top Bolivian talent that can support Club Bolivar’s first team, form the core of the national team and be exported to more competitive football leagues around the world”.