Villarreal CF announces August camps in Azerbaijan and Turkey

11/06/2026

Villarreal Academy collaborates with By Demir Sports and Jordi Gratacos Football Formation to hold camps in Baku, Istanbul and Izmir

As part of the Villarreal Academy international expansion project, Villarreal CF will be holding new camps this summer in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan, and in Istanbul and Izmir, Turkey. All three camps will be organised in collaboration with By Demir Sports and Jordi Gratacos Football Formation. Villarreal CF coaches will lead the sessions, supported by local coaches, and will select players to participate in an official Villarreal CF tournament in Spain during the 2026/27 season.

The camp in Azerbaijan will take place in Baku from 7^th to 9^thAugust, followed by the camps in Turkey from 11^th to 13^th August in Istanbul and from 14^th to 16^th August in Izmir. All camps are open to boys and girls aged between eight and 18 years old.

By Demir Sports, Villarreal CF’s first partner for these camps, is a company dedicated to organising youth football camps and tournaments, mainly in Turkey. Its CEO, Mehmet Turu, is a FIFA-licensed match agent and, through the partnership with Villarreal CF, aims to promote player development and provide new opportunities.

Mehmet Turu explained: “One of the main aims of these camps is to develop young players in Turkey and Azerbaijan and give them the opportunity to showcase their talent to professional coaches and learn from them. For this reason, we trust Villarreal CF. Villarreal CF is one of the most renowned clubs in Spain and Europe, recognised for its commitment to youth player development. For us, Villarreal CF represents the highest quality standards in football and we share the same values: understanding football as an educational tool capable of transmitting human values to future generations. We are very proud to partner with Villarreal CF.”

Jordi Gratacos Football Formation is a project led by UEFA Pro-licensed coach Jordi Gratacos, who has a long career in youth player development around the world and is also a recognised international football speaker and advisor.

Jordi Gratacos said: “This is the first time we are organising events with Villarreal CF in Azerbaijan and Turkey. We are focused on developing and strengthening this collaboration in order to transfer the Villarreal CF methodology to these children as much as possible. We believe this is a long-term project and we want these countries to feel part of the Villarreal CF family.”

Villarreal CF International Business Development Manager Mar Llaneza stated: “We are excited to hold these special camps in Azerbaijan and Turkey this summer. Our goal with our international projects is to expose all players to our methodology to enhance their development and provide unique opportunities, so our mission aligns perfectly with By Demir Sports and Jordi Gratacos Football Formation. All participants will work directly with our Villarreal coaches and selected players will take part in an official Villarreal CF tournament, providing a real pathway to play in Spain. We wish all players and coaches the best and hope this is just the start of a successful long-term collaboration.”