Valencia CF open a new VCF Academy in Chicago

Valencia CF continues to expand its horizons in strategic football markets. The latest addition is the VCF Soccer Academy in Chicago, which has been inaugurated in recent weeks and reinforces Valencia CF's presence in the USA, where it already has VCF Academies in New York, Houston and Seattle, as well as holding VCF Soccer Camps in different parts of the North American country.

The VCF Soccer Academy of Chicago is established in the O'Hare area, expanding from Schaumburg, Des Plaines, and Norrigde to Franklin Park and Melrose Park, the sphere of influence of this new VCF Academy that is established in the city of Chicago, which is recognised as the most lively sports city in North America, and which will follow the working methodology of the VCF Academy, the fourth best in Europe in the training of players for the elite, according to the latest report of the CIES Football Observatory.

Thanks to the joint work with Inter Youth SC, a sporting programme has been launched that seeks the comprehensive training of young players, who will not only be prepared for football but also be exemplary in any area of their lives, following the VCF Academy's philosophy: Sentiment, Courrege and brotherhood.

"A dream come true".

"For us, it is a dream come true" explains Eleazar "AI" Pérez, thanks to the joint work with Inter Youth SC, a sports programme has been launched that seeks the comprehensive training of young players, who will not only be prepared for football but also be exemplary in any area of their lives, following the VCF Academy Philosophy: Sentiment, Courage and Brotherhood.

"A dream come true".

"For us, it is a dream come true" explains Eleazar "AI" Perez, Director of Coaching at the VCF Academy Chicago Academy. "It's a dream that started in 2009 and now it's expanding. It is an honour to be part of Valencia CF and to experience football at an international level."

"It is a great thrill to be able to be part of the Valencia CF experience and share it in Chicago," said Debra Jimenez, Manager of the VCF Chicago Academy.

Shared colours

The love for Valencia from VCF Campus... to VCF Academy In recent months Valencia CF has held several VCF Soccer Camps in Chicago, the third most populated city in the USA, where around a hundred players have participated. This good reception and the interest it has generated has allowed VCF to take the step to become VCF Soccer Academy, which at the moment has several teams between 7 and 13 years old.  

"At the Valencia CF Campuses that we have held in Chicago both in the summer and at Thanksgiving, we have felt the boom and the importance of playing football in Chicago, and even more so wearing the Valencia CF shirt," says Ramón Mompó, Technical Manager of the Academy Programs.

"We see that every time, at younger ages, the players are more prepared and motivated to be trained to continue developing as a player and as a person and these events that we have carried out have been a great experience for the participants and for the coaches where they have been able to discover what it means to be Valencia CF," he points out.

Football and Valencia CF in North America, football is an emerging sport in the USA, the country that will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup along with Canada and Mexico and is one of the strategic markets for Valencia CF and LaLiga.

With the addition of the VCF Academy in Chicago, Valencia CF now has 5 VCF Soccer Academies in North America (New York, Houston, Seattle and Chicago in the USA, plus Montreal in Canada), which join the projects integrated into the VCF Soccer Academy in the United States. in Chicago goes back many years.

In fact, Inter Youth SC was founded in 2009, adopting the colours Black, White and Orange, following the identity of Valencia CF, a club with which they have maintained a special relationship from the very beginning and which is now embodied in the new VCF Academy Chicago. The VCF Soccer Academies in Montreal (Canada) join the international projects that are being developed in different parts of Europe and Asia, where VCF Soccer Academies are also present in Japan and South Korea.

VCF Academy ProgramsVCF Soccer Camps, international alliances, technical consultancy and VCF Soccer Academies in strategic markets in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia are all part of the VCF Soccer Academy Programs that help to expand the Valencia CF brand and what its colours symbolise worldwide. This Internationalisation Strategy has been a finalist in the World Football Summit Awards 2023.

In 2023, more than 5000 players and more than 50 countries have participated in these VCF Soccer Academy Programs, which in addition to expanding the image of Valencia CF and its philosophy around the world, aims to bring the training methods of Valencia CF to any part of the planet and spread the values that always accompany this Club, making the participants enjoy and learn from the hand of the best professionals of the Valencia CF Academy.

The Valencia CF Soccer Camps, Training Stages, the VCF Soccer Academy and the Sports Consultancy services are just some examples of this great project.

More information VCF Academy Programs: Check HERE for all the information