The RCD Espanyol Elite Development Program: A Soccer Development Experience at Professional Club RCD Espanyol

Barcelona is a city where soccer is part of everyday life. For teams looking to make player development the focus of an international trip, our RCD Espanyol Elite Development Program offers the chance to train with professional academy staff, compete against Spanish opposition, and experience the club’s development environment firsthand.

Based in Barcelona, the program brings together on-field training, tactical classroom sessions, competitive matches, and time to explore the city. It’s designed for competitive youth and college teams that want more than a traditional soccer tour: an opportunity to develop, learn, challenge themselves, and experience the game in a new setting.

Inside RCD Espanyol’s Development Environment

RCD Espanyol is one of Barcelona’s most historic professional clubs, with a long-standing presence in Spanish soccer. Its academy is built around a long-term approach to developing technically refined and tactically intelligent players.

During the program, your team gets an introduction to that environment through sessions led by RCD Espanyol Academy Staff. These coaches work within the club’s development pathway and lead both on-field training and classroom instruction.

The experience gives players and coaches a closer look at how a professional academy approaches development. Rather than relying on a single clinic, the program combines 5 total sessions and 2 matches across the trip, giving players opportunities to take in new ideas and then apply them on the field.

Training at the CD Dani Jarque Training Centre

A central part of the program is training at the CD Dani Jarque Training Centre, RCD Espanyol’s official training facility. Players work with academy staff in a professional setting and gain insight into the club’s training environment and development philosophy.

The program includes five training and/or classroom sessions with RCD Espanyol Academy Staff. The mix of on-field and classroom work can help players connect what they practice with what they see and learn about the game.

For coaches, the experience offers a chance to observe professional staff at work and bring new ideas back to their own teams. For players, training in an unfamiliar environment can be a valuable challenge: they need to listen, adapt, communicate, and respond to different coaching and playing experiences.

Competing Against Spanish Opposition

Training is only part of the experience. The program also includes two matches against professional youth clubs or teams of a similar level, giving players the opportunity to test themselves against Spanish opposition.

Playing teams from another country introduces a different competitive context. Players must adjust to unfamiliar opponents, work together under pressure, and put training ideas into practice during a match. The games also give coaches a useful opportunity to see how their team responds to new challenges.

The matches are arranged with the visiting team’s competitive level in mind. Opponents and final scheduling depend on travel dates and the program arrangements.

A Closer Look at Player Development and Scouting

The Espanyol program includes talent identification and scouting exposure as part of the club training experience. However, the main focus is on learning, competing, and gaining perspective on the standards and expectations within a professional academy setting.

For teams, that distinction matters: the value of the program is in the experience itself, including the chance to train, compete, and learn within RCD Espanyol’s development environment.

RCDE Stadium and a Professional Match

The program includes a tour of RCDE Stadium, RCD Espanyol’s home ground, along with tickets to a professional match. Depending on the travel dates and match schedule, the game may feature Espanyol or another professional club.

Watching a professional match together gives players a chance to experience the atmosphere of Spanish soccer and observe the game from a new perspective. Coaches can encourage players to notice how professionals use space, support teammates, and respond to changing moments in the match.

The stadium tour adds another dimension to the visit, connecting the team’s time at the training center with the club’s matchday home.

Experiencing Barcelona Beyond the Field

Soccer is at the heart of the tour, but Barcelona offers plenty to experience away from training and matches. Sightseeing is included and can be arranged around the team’s goals, the training schedule, match availability, and travel dates.

That balance helps teams experience the destination while keeping player development central to the trip. Traveling together also gives players time to build relationships away from their usual routine, share new experiences, and represent their team in an international setting.

The exact sightseeing schedule is customized for each group. Barcelona and the surrounding area offer a memorable backdrop for a trip that combines soccer, travel, and time together as a team.

What the Typical RCD Espanyol Program Includes

The typical program is nine days and seven nights. It includes five training and/or classroom sessions with RCD Espanyol Academy Staff, two matches against professional youth clubs or teams of a similar level, a tour of RCDE Stadium, one professional match ticket, and an RCD Espanyol shirt.

The program also includes round-trip airfare, airport transfers and other ground transportation, hotel accommodation in the Barcelona area, and half-board meals. Sightseeing is incorporated into the schedule, with the itinerary shaped around the team’s goals and confirmed travel arrangements.

The program is intended for competitive youth and college teams. A team does not have to carry an “elite” label to benefit from the experience.

Start Planning Your RCD Espanyol Elite Development Program

The RCD Espanyol Elite Development Program gives your team the opportunity to train with academy staff, compete against Spanish opposition, and experience professional soccer in Barcelona. It’s a soccer-focused international trip designed to give players new challenges and coaches a closer look at a different development environment.

Premier International Tours can customize the experience around your team’s goals, group, and preferred travel window. Contact us to start planning your tour, or learn more about our RCD Espanyol Elite Development Program and our other soccer tours in Spain.