The vacation rental platform Airbnb and LaLiga have launched a collaboration that will last several seasons and is aimed at connecting football, travel and the community. They will launch various experiences with the intention of generating a positive impact on local communities through football, especially in rural areas that have been the cradle of talent, values ​​and passion for the sport, as the company explains in a statement.

The first materialization of this alliance is starring the former player Andrés Iniesta and his hometown of Fuentealbilla, in Albacete. Three guests will be able to play soccer in the streets of the town, as well as learn about its customs and traditions. All of this with the intention of bringing fans closer to exploring the connections between the beautiful game and local culture, and capitalizing on the power of football and travel as engines of direct social and economic transformation.

Those interested will be able to submit a reservation request for the experience starting March 2. The selected person will enjoy a full day in Fuentealbilla on March 14 that will include a 4 on 4 party with Iniesta and players from the local team, Rayo de Fuentealbilla; a tour with him through the town; tasting of local products and the performance of the municipal band La Armonizadora de Fuentealbilla. They will also spend the night in a rural accommodation available on Airbnb in the area.

“Andrés Iniesta exemplifies the original values ​​of the purest football, that of the streets. And wherever he goes he acts as host to his town, Fuentealbilla. This experience celebrates the cultural wealth shared by many towns in Spain and reinforces Airbnb’s commitment to 2026 as the year when rural tourism takes off in the country.”comments Jaime Rodríguez de Santiago, General Director of Airbnb Marketing Services for Spain and Portugal.

The initiative is part of Airbnb’s 2026–2029 Airbnb Rural Commitment program, focused on the promotion of new tourist destinations, the granting of aid to local commerce and the development of revitalization projects for localities in rural areas. This is an exclusive action plan for our country with a budget of 50 million dollars over three years to promote more distributed tourism with which it hopes to generate direct economic benefit in local communities.

For their part, LaLiga assures that collaboration with the platform will help them bring football fans even closer. “Andrés Iniesta represents the values ​​and essence of football that has been lived since its origins. With this collaboration with Airbnb, we want to offer fans experiences that connect with that authentic way of feeling football and that generate impact in the community.”, explained Jorge de la Vega, General Business Director of LaLiga.

The agreement includes the creation of a collection of experiences, which will be available over the coming months. Includes a private tour at Fernando Morientes’ house, a match day at the Mendizorroza Stadium with journalist Isabel Forner; and a pre-match paella in Valencia with the actor Arturo Valls, who launched Socarrón, his own brand of rice, in the summer of last year.

Airbnb assures that the agreement with LaLiga reinforces its positioning in Spain as a strategic partner to promote experiences that connect sport, culture and the local community. It aligns, in this sense, with its global career in international events, such as the Olympic Games or the Tour de France.