SINGAPORE (AFP) Spains La Liga said Thursday it will launch a pre-season exhibition tournament in Asia next year to boost its profile in the region, where the English Premier League dominates. Some matches will also have an earlier kick-off time in the upcoming season to encourage more football fans in Asia to watch the Spanish league, La Liga chief executive Francisco Roca Perez said in Singapore. Our objective is to be one of the prominent leagues in this part of the world, and I think because of the level of football that we play in the Spanish league, we ought to be, he said at a sports forum. Spains top professional football league lags in popularity behind the EPL in Asia despite boasting the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Perez admitted that La Liga needs to do some catching up in Asia but believes the Spanish league can win over new Asian fans with the right formula. Like I said before, our respect for premier league is huge and our admiration for whatever premier league has done is huge, Perez said at the Soccerex Asian Forum. Obviously, if we change the television times, the kickoff time, this is essential. I recognise that, we understand that, we have to do it, otherwise it would be impossible (to gain more fans in Asia), he said. He added that at least one weekend game would be played at a reasonably Asian-friendly time when the new season begins next month.