We
breathe
soccer
breathe
soccer
ISL Agency continues to expand its global network through a new strategic partnership with CONMEBOL, connecting South American soccer with Europe and creating meaningful opportunities beyond borders.
As part of this alliance, teams from CONMEBOL tournament traveled to Barcelona for a six-day international experience that combined high-level competition, elite training and cultural immersion.
During their stay, the teams played friendly matches against renowned local clubs such as CF Damm, RCD Espanyol, CE Europa, FC Barcelonaand Sant Just, among others.
The sporting program also included training sessions with RCD Espanyol and FC Barcelona, offering players first-hand exposure to elite European methodologies and professional environments.
Beyond the pitch, participants enjoyed a complete cultural and soccer experience. Activities included a visit to the Spotify Camp Nou Tour, a historical tour through the city of Barcelona, and the opportunity to attend top-level matches such as a UEFA Champions League fixture, a FC Barcelona women’s match, and the LaLiga clash between RCD Espanyol and Rayo Vallecano.
This partnership reflects ISL Agency’s ongoing commitment to building bridges between continents, fostering development through soccer, and creating experiences that connect cultures, talent and communities on a global scale.
ISL Agency has brought together global soccer icon Paul Pogba and Al Haboob, a pioneering team aiming to transform camel racing into a modern, internationally recognised sport.
The French World Cup winner is now a co-owner of Al Haboob, presented as the world’s first professional camel racing team. The move is as unexpected as it is ambitious, seeking to connect a millennia-old tradition with the language and scale of global sport.
Marc Segarra, our Managing Partner, describes the partnership as something never seen before.
“This may be the most unexpected and spectacular crossover in sports history: a World Cup champion partnering with one of the most popular sports in the Middle East, camel racing. East and West coming together to show the world a millenary sport that has never been presented at this level,” Segarra said.
Pogba explained his motivation in an interview with BBC Sport: “I’ve watched my fair share of [camel] races on YouTube and spent time doing research in my spare time trying to understand the techniques and strategies. And what stood out to me is how much dedication it takes from everyone involved. At the end of the day, sport is sport. It demands heart, sacrifice and teamwork.”
Al Haboob was founded by entrepreneurs Omar Almaeena and Safwan Modir, with the vision of building the world’s first modern camel racing team capable of competing on an international stage.
“Paul’s involvement is transformational,” Almaeena said. “His influence, leadership and passion for cultural storytelling reflect exactly what Al Haboob stands for. This partnership is about more than racing; it is about sharing a heritage that deserves global recognition.”
The collaboration marks a new chapter not only for Pogba, but also for camel racing itself, positioning the sport at the intersection of tradition, innovation and global entertainment; an approach that aligns with ISL Agency’s vision of redefining how sport and culture connect on the world stage.
While summer is often a time to slow down, for ISL Agency’s International Tours & Friendlies team it marks the most intense (and most rewarding!) moment of the year. Across the 2024–2025 season, extensive work behind the scenes made it possible to connect clubs from different countries, align sporting objectives, and deliver competitive pre-season fixtures across multiple markets.
Throughout the 2024–2025 season, we worked relentlessly to connect clubs across continents, carefully crafting the right matchups and building pre-season experiences that go far beyond the pitch.
This process resulted in 13 international friendly matches staged between June and August, taking place in France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, England, Spain, and the United States, and bringing together teams from across Europe and North America
Beyond the results, the fixtures served broader objectives for the participating clubs. The match between D.C. United and Club América at Audi Field stood out as a key moment of the summer, bringing one of Mexico’s most followed teams to the U.S. capital and connecting the club with one of the country’s most vibrant Latino fan communities.
Elsewhere, Rayo Vallecano completed a training camp in the Netherlands, Sevilla FC faced Olympique de Marseille at the iconic Stade Vélodrome, and FC Lorient marked its centenary season with a special pre-season fixture against CA Osasuna. That match also coincided with the debut of FC Lorient’s 2025/26 home kit, following a technical sponsorship agreement closed by ISL with Joma.
In total, the tours and friendlies programme covered 15,000 kilometres, linking cities, clubs, and fanbases across two continents. The initiative supported clubs in their sporting preparation while also contributing to commercial objectives, ticket sales, and international brand visibility.
The pre-season fixtures
Stay tuned for more interesting facts to come!
If 2022 could be described in one word for ISL, it would be – revolutionary. This year has brought us incredible launches, promising partnerships, and groundbreaking experiences.
Did you know that ISL had at least one major event take place for nine months of the year? That means that 75% of the months in the year had at least one major tentpole event for the agency! From the drop of Luka Modric’s first NFT collection in January to the collaboration between Barça and MLS in July, as well as the first ever LaLiga Select showcase in Madrid in March, ISL has had the opportunity to partake in some pretty incredible moments that made 2022 a year for the books.
Let’s hit rewind on 2022 and go through some of the most memorable moments for ISL!
January 2022
ISL goes digital | Luka Modric released his very own official and authenticated NFT collection. The collection was made available by Ethernity Chain and powered through ISL – Ethernity’s official and exclusive soccer partner.
February 2022
Travel management returned to the UK!
March 2022
LaLiga Select held its first ever showcase in the Spanish capital of Madrid! 118 players were selected from an impressive total of 12,000 youth soccer players across 14 different scouting events in North America.
Entering the esports arena, in 2022, we saw esports player João Oliveira join the powerful Portuguese team of Benfica through the support of ISL.
May 2022
Switching gears back to LaLiga Select, in May 2022, we had our first selection of players who passed onto the third and final phase of LaLiga Select. Three players were offered scholarships by LaLiga Select to continue their journey in Spain and spent the next two weeks training with LaLiga Academy teams such as Celta, Alavés, and Levante.
June 2022
ISL and Icerock powered an epic friendly between D.C. United vs Xelajú MC.
July 2022
ISL heads west in July 2022! In collaboration with ISL, FC Barcelona closed out its first two games against Inter Miami FC and the New York Bulls of MLS. This was a game that fans had not seen since 2008 and also an exciting face-off between FC Barcelona and Beckham’s Inter FC
We also broke records in 2022! Our FC Barcelona Academy Summer Camps launched in July 2022, and we saw a record-breaking count of over 5,000 players enlisted at our Seattle camp
ISL and USYF (United States Youth Futsal – a US Soccer member) continued to strengthen their relationship by expanding futsal in the United States through a series of events in Kansas City, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, and Charlotte during the summer.
October 2022
A little bit of self-care in 2022. We had the grand opening of our new Barcelona office, and let’s just say we ended up celebrating 3 hours more than expected!
ISL also held a corporate meeting to discuss all the exciting things we have planned for the future.
November 2022
We made partnerships happen! In November 2022, ISL and Pepsi x DJ Mariio provided gamers with a never-before-seen immersive experience combining everyone’s love for soccer and video games. The partnership was made possible through the support of ISL.
December 2022
December is the month of friendlies powered by ISL and Icerock! From AS Roma facing off with Cádiz CF to Crystal Palace hosting Real Valladolid at the Selhurst Park Stadium and, of course, Herta BSC going up against Millonarios FC in Osceola County Stadium – this month was a month full of friendlies!
Pepsi and ISL joined forces again! Together, Pepsi and ISL teamed up to launch Pepsi’s marketing campaign in Central America. Through the support of ISL, Joao Felix and Sergio Busquets were the two featured stars of Pepsi’s marketing campaign in Central America.
Phew! With all that said (emphasis on all), our year comes to a bittersweet end filled with incredible moments, industry-changing collaborations, and never-before-seen releases. We could not have made it to this point without the support and commitment of our ISL team and the support from everyone who helped make this possible. We want to thank each and every one of you for your perseverance and belief in us. We can’t wait to see you all in the new year and work together to make 2023 another revolutionary year.
This holiday season, the ISL foundation in collaboration with Barça Academy US Carolinas is making the holidays of child refugees truly special by gifting them soccer gear donations.
The campaign, also known as #SoccerLovesUkraine, is working closely with players from the different academies to gather all donated goods for child refugees from Ukraine that now reside in Poland. What started off as a small yet mighty donation effort by fellow Barça Academy Carolinas player, Alex Cordora, turned into a collective effort between the Barça Academy Carolinas and the ISL Foundation.
When asked what motivated him to start this initiative, Cordora said the following:
“I knew about the war and I learned about the effects that it had on the people in Ukraine and all around the world and I thought that they could use something to boost their spirits”
Full interview HERE
Through this campaign, kids are welcome to donate various types of lightly used soccer gear ranging from cleats to soccer balls and even shin guards. The donations will then be sent off to Poland where a vast majority of Ukrainian refugees have fled in an attempt to escape the war.
This campaign is one of the many different efforts managed by the ISL foundation and although each campaign has addressed various social topics or issues, this campaign in particular is one that will directly impact the lives of many children who have been forced to flee their home country with little to no time for packing any personal items.
“I would like to help out the Ukrainian refugees in need in Poland and give them a positive distraction and something to take their mind off the war” – Cordora when asked how he thinks this campaign can help children currently in shelters.
#SoccerLovesUkraine is an opportunity for us to collectively come together as a community not only through our love for soccer but through our core values of teamwork and empathy. ISL is a global community with the power to drive positive impact across this world, we take pride in helping others and hope #SoccerLovesUkraine will give Ukrainian children a memorable holiday season.
Please bring donations to Barça Academy Carolinas practice location in the USA between November 28th-December 4th, 2022. Donations can include new and gently used soccer equipment (cleats, shin guards, balls, pumps, gloves, etc.) and/or money to cover costs for shipping.
La Liga Select landed in Spain in March to train 118 young players from the USA and Canada. The players, were selected by LaLiga Grassroots scouts from a total of 12,000 participants across 14 events and tournaments in locations such as Texas, New York and Las Vegas (Nevada) since the start of the program in January 2021.
Created by the best league in the world, LaLiga Select is the first official recruitment platform of LaLiga to scout youth talent in North America.
The platform provides young American soccer players, aged 13 to 18, the opportunity to showcase their talent and create a framework of opportunities for growth, visibility and improved competition level for the players.
A total of 12,000 participants across 14 events and tournaments in locations such as Texas, New York and Las Vegas (Nevada) since the start of the program in January 2021 were selected by LaLiga scouts.
The players, divided into 7 teams, have spent 10 days in Madrid preparing intensively with LaLiga coaches for a series of matches with youth teams from Atlético de Madrid, Rayo Vallecano, Getafe CF, CF Fuenlabrada and CD Leganés. They have also played against two other famous clubs, Rayo Majadahonda and Unión Adarve, and have trained with Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid in their training centers.
“After many months of work in North America (United States and Canada), we are very proud to see how LaLiga Select is moving towards its final goal. The selected players have shown an excellent level during their stay in Spain, demonstrating the potential of the American talent. We hope to soon see some of these players excel at the highest level and consolidate the program on a global scale,” says Alex Isern, CEO of ISL Agency.
During their stay in Madrid, the coaches and officials from LaLiga Grassroots have monitored the 118 players in order to select the best in each age category. These players will receive a scholarship to train for a period of time with a LaLiga club’s youth academy.
In a special agreement for FC Lorient’s 100th anniversary year, we have secured, in collaboration with The Members Agency, Joma Sport as the club’s official technical partner. The deal brings together a leading global sportswear brand and a Ligue 1 side entering a historic chapter in its journey.
Under the partnership, Joma will supply kits for every FC Lorient squad, from the professional men’s and women’s teams to the academy, delivering high-performance apparel that unites the entire club under one look.
Joma, internationally recognized for the quality of its official kits and its commitment to the clubs it partners with (including Villarreal, Anderlecht, and Brentford), made a strong impact at the Paris Olympic Games, outfitting around 15% of participating athletes and providing equipment to about ten national Olympic committees, including Spain and Portugal, as well as more than twenty national federations.
This agreement marks the beginning of a collaboration between two entities driven by the same ambitions: performance, innovation, and a deep connection to their community.
The new Joma x FC Lorient kits were unveiled this month, blending advanced performance technology with design details that celebrate the club’s heritage. The first kit made its debut on July 19 in a friendly match arranged by ISL against CA Osasuna.
We are proud to announce the renewal of our partnership with Club Esportiu Europa, continuing as the club’s Official Sponsor for the 2025/26 season through the ISL Foundation.
The agreement was officially signed at the Nou Sardenya stadium, where Hèctor Ibar, the club’s president, and Àlex Isern, ISL co-founder and CEO.
CE Europa is a historic neighborhood club in Barcelona, widely respected for its excellence in developing local talent and its unwavering commitment to diversity and community.
Beyond that, it holds deep personal meaning for us at ISL because it’s where our founders, Àlex Isern and Marc Segarra, met as children playing in the youth academy, building a friendship rooted in the game that would eventually give rise to ISL. Between 2007 and 2010, Isern proudly wore the Europa shirt in 102 official matches, earning a spot in the club’s First Team.
For ISL, it’s an honor to support an institution that truly understands the value of grassroots soccer and the power of sport to connect people.
We’re proud to be part of the Europa family once again.