SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio FC has inked its second international club partnership this year, this time with a team that plays in Spain’s top flight.
The club announced Friday its partnership with Union Deportivo Las Palmas, who will compete this season against Real Madrid and FC Barcelona in La Liga, the top division of Spanish soccer.
Moreover, the two sides will play a friendly at Toyota Field next year — the first time a Spanish team will play at the 8,000-capacity ground, an SAFC news release said.
The agreement offers opportunities for player development, team growth, and for SAFC’s coaching staff to learn from the staff at Las Palmas.
“We are thrilled for the opportunity to partner with Las Palmas and look forward to our future projects on and off the field,” said SS&E Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel Bobby Perez.
For San Antonio, the club agreement parks off another partnership with a sister city.
Next year, San Antonio and Las Palmas will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the signing. The two cities signed the partnership on July 24, 1975.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg will visit the Canary Islands in March 2025 and attend Las Palmas’ home match on March 14, according to the release.
Sister Cities is a national initiative created by Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956 to cultivate global partnerships with cities to share cultural, economic and technical exchanges.
Some of San Antonio’s sister cities include Darmstadt, Germany; Gwangju, South Korea; and Baguio, Philippines.
In July, SAFC announced a club partnership with SV Darmstadt, a team set to compete in the second division of the Bundesliga, Germany’s soccer association.