Over several years, FC Bayern has developed a pathway that enables young talents worldwide to find their way into professional football with the help of international youth football programmes.
As the FC Bayern Campus with its youth teams is not accessible to every young talent, an opportunity has been created to keep the dream of a professional career alive. Through national and international camps, starting in the U8 age group, the focus is initially on having fun. However, the first talents already get scouted here and are monitored over the years. The first interface to competitive sport then follows at U16 level, at the FC Bayern Youth Cup.
Since its launch in 2012, it has been organised annually for U16 players in cooperation with FC Bayern partners around the world. From Nigeria to China, over 100,000 players from more than 15 countries have now taken part. More than 20 participants have either signed a professional contract or been called up to their national teams after taking part.
In 2021, another project was implemented in the form of the FC Bayern World Squad, which aims to support and promote players in the final step towards signing a contract.
The FC Bayern World Squad is an international project in which the German record champions and their partner select U19 players from all over the world in order to afford them the best possible platform. The last three years have shown that this makes the step into professional football possible.
A prime example of the FC Bayern Pathway is Victor Orakpo. Victor was scouted at a selection camp in Nigeria in 2022 and was subsequently called up to Team Nigeria for the 2022 FC Bayern Youth Cup. Victor became the top scorer with five goals and was named most valuable player of the tournament. As MVP, he was then invited to the FC Bayern World Squad, where he was able to showcase his skills on the big stage in the summer of 2023 under the watchful eye of head coach Roy Makaay. From then on, many clubs were keen to sign the tall, dynamic striker. In January 2024, Victor Orakpo signed his first professional contract with OGC Nice. A story like no other!
Since September 2023, the FC Bayern Global Academy has bridged the gap between U16 and U19 level. With this latest addition to the FC Bayern Pathway, the record champions can offer top talents, who have been scouted worldwide in camps and at the FC Bayern Youth Cup, among others, a clear development plan that enables the advancement of players in every age group.
The first season has clearly shown that the FC Bayern Global Academy is already an essential and important part of the FC Bayern Pathway. We now want to take the next step with you!
Apply now for the FC Bayern Global Academy and follow in the footsteps of our Pathway legends.
