LALIGA successfully brought back one of its flagship fan experiences this past weekend, engaging more than 1,000 fans through the return of the ELCLÁSICO Extravaganza at Fourways Mall.
The event, held on Sunday, 10 May 2026, brought together football fans, partners, media, influencers and stakeholders to watch one of world’s biggest football rivalries: FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid.
The 2026 edition marked the return of a major public ELCLÁSICO fan activation in South Africa after almost a decade, following the memorable 2016 edition held at Nelson Mandela Square, where around 2,000 fans gathered for the fixture and a full day of football, entertainment and community engagement.
This year’s event continued that spirit at Fourways Mall, transforming the venue into a vibrant fan zone filled with football energy, giveaways, fan activities, live entertainment and match-day excitement. The event was hosted in partnership with SportyBet, LALIGA’s betting partner in Africa, together with Primedia Sport and Fourways Mall, who supported the venue, media and activation environment that helped bring the fan experience to life. SportyBet also delivered a range of unique fan activations and interactive experiences throughout the day, further enhancing engagement for attendees. In addition, SportyBet gave users and LALIGA fans the opportunity to win an exclusive VIP experience, including the chance to meet LALIGA ambassadors Alex Song and Geremi Njitap.
As celebration partner, Hennessy elevated the premium hospitality offering through the Hennessy Legends Lounge, which hosted invited guests, media, football stakeholders and partners in a curated VIP setting attended by the LALIGA Legends. The event also served as one of the final engagement platforms for the Sporty LALIGA MVP campaign, encouraging fans to participate in the closing phase of public voting and celebrate African excellence connected to LALIGA.
Tresor Penku, Managing Director of LALIGA Africa, said: “The return of the ElClásico Extravaganza was an important moment for us. As we celebrate 10 years of LALIGA in Africa, this event allowed us to reconnect with fans in a meaningful way and show the continued passion for Spanish football in the market. Seeing our fans come together at Fourways Mall reminded us why these live fan experiences matter.”