● Our Programs
Your path to professional soccer.
Your path to professional soccer.
The International Academy of C.D. Leganés trains footballers from over 30 nationalities within the structure of a professional LaLiga club in Madrid, using the CDL Method: Training measured with GPS and video.
Access isn't automatic. Each request is considered individually.
Female from 12 to 23 years · Male from 8 to 23 years
+900
Players since 2021
+30
Nationalities
UEFA PRO
Technical Direction
2ª
Professional division
International Academy Programs
Three paths. Choose the one that fits best.
Some want to measure themselves against the Spanish level; others, play a full season under the watchful eyes of professionals; and others, build a career without giving up their studies. Three different paths that converge in a single place: the structure of a LaLiga club.
To try on
Elite Intensive
From one week · You choose the duration.
The way to get in. You join the group that matches your age and level, train with the club's method, and leave knowing exactly where you stand.
- Level assessment and technical report
- Training with the CDL Method
- Under 16: With the club's youth academy
- From 16: With teams from the International Academy
Very limited spots in youth categories.
to Compete
Performance Year
6 - 12 months · Student visa.
A season inside the club, with football as the focus. They measure you with the same stats as the first team.
- GPS analysis, video, and scout report
- Full season in the club's structure
- Residence with full board
- Spanish course or coach training
TO study and play
Academic year
6 - 12 months · Student visa.
The European alternative to College Soccer. You take formal studies in Madrid and the sports schedule is coordinated with your classes.
- Guidance and scholarships in the U.S. and Canada
- High School, IB, A-Levels, or UEM University
- Sports schedule adapted to the course
- Internships at the club
Competition: Teams from the International Academy (from 16 years old) regularly play friendly matches against Spanish clubs. Those over 18, or 16 if they are from the EU, can also join the club teams and play in official competitions.
In the youth categories, participation in matches depends on each week's sports planning.
WHY C.D. Leganés
Here you step into the structure of a LaLiga club.
The difference isn’t in the hours of training. It’s in who leads them, with what method, in what facilities, and under what standard. Here, you get into the structure of a professional club and work the way they work inside it.
Professional structure
Official facilities, the club's technical staff, and the day-to-day of a LaLiga entity.
The CDL Method
Own methodology, measured with GPS, video, and analysis. UEFA Pro technical direction. The same one used by the first team.
The improvement is shown
Sales with a performance report based on data, not on a gut feeling.
The setting matters
Scouts, partner clubs, and agents come through Madrid. Being here puts you on their radar.
The academy from the inside
what's behind the training.
The CDL Method.
Game model, periodization by stages, and data-driven control. UEFA Pro coaching direction.
Residence and daily life
Two residences with full board, one next to the club and another with premium service, and support throughout the entire stay.
Facilities
Jesús Polo Annex Stadium and I.D. Butarque: gym, physiotherapy, and analysis rooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
About our academy
It depends on your nationality and the length of your stay. EU citizens don’t need a visa. Nationals of visa-exempt countries —like the United States, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, or the United Kingdom, among others— can train for up to 90 days without a visa. All other nationalities need a Schengen visa from day one, even for a one-week stay. Any stay longer than 90 days requires a student visa, no matter your nationality. What determines the requirement is your passport, not your country of residence.
Check which visa you need based on your nationality
Programs start at 300 euros. The conditions are tailored to the duration, accommodation, and academic itinerary of each player. Elite Intensive, being a flexible stay from one week, has the lowest cost; Performance Year and Academic Year, since they include full-board residence and formal training throughout the season, have a higher cost. Each application receives a proposal with the details of their case.
The teams from the International Academy, starting at age 16, regularly play friendly matches against Spanish clubs. Players over 18, or over 16 if they are from the EU, can also sign up for the C.D. Leganés teams and compete in official matches. For the youth categories, under 16, participation in games depends on the sports plans for each week.
Yes, and for long programs it’s mandatory: the student visa requires enrollment in a formal course of study. Academic Year includes High School, IB, A-Levels, or university studies at the European University of Madrid. Performance Year includes a Spanish course or training as a coach. In both cases, the sports schedule is coordinated with the academic calendar.
Females from 12 to 23 years old and males from 8 to 23 years old. Those under 16 join the club's youth teams, in their age group and level. From 16 on, players train with the International Academy teams. Those under 18 need a responsible adult in Spain: in Elite Intensive they come with a family member or accredited legal guardian; in Performance Year and Academic Year, the club can manage legal guardianship through the European School of Sports for those aged 16 or older.
Elite Intensive accepts applications year-round, with start dates based on availability. Performance Year has flexible starts: what we set is a minimum duration of 6 months, not the entry month. Academic Year does follow the academic calendar, because enrollment depends on the semester you join. Programs that require a student visa need some lead time for consular processing, which varies by country. Write to us with enough notice.
An individual progress report with 4 sections: physical, technical, tactical, and mental, created using GPS data and video analysis collected throughout your stay. It’s issued on request and is the same across the three programs. In the full-season programs, continuous tracking is added. Once it’s issued, it’s yours and it doesn’t expire.
Alumni of the International Academy
From Leganés to Professional Football.
Talent needs to be seen. These players went through here and today compete as professionals in their countries and national teams. More than 340 players have gone through the International Academy in the last season. These are some of those who today compete as professionals.
Arabia Saudí ·FORWARD
Khaled Al-Lazam
He made his debut in the Saudi Pro League after a transfer with a financial fee. This is where real market value is formed.
Emiratos Árabes · Midfielder
Nouf Al-Anzi
Irak · GOALKEEPER
Kumel Al-Rekabe
Full international with Iraq and Olympic in Paris 2024. He arrived after a trial.
MEDIA
We're not the ones saying it
From Madrid to Tokyo, from Abu Dhabi to Johannesburg: The press has reported what happens in this academy.
Get in touch with us.
Each application is evaluated individually. Tell us about your case and the International Area will get back to you with the conditions and availability for your profile.
One standard. One mindset. One team.
