Michael Diederich: ‘We’re looking forward to visitors from all over the world’

Last season, the FC Bayern fan club DC Bayern Capitol 11 from Washington visited Munich for an unforgettable day in the name of the German record champions. This year, the fan club Shanghai from the Chinese metropolis was able to experience a special FCB programme around the 2-1 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt. The 25 guests from the China witnessed two goals from Harry Kane at the Allianz Arena, were treated to Bavarian delicacies, and one couple even renewed their wedding vows in the tunnel at the Allianz Arena. Both said "I do" once again in FC Bayern jerseys.

The fact that an official fan club from Shanghai organised a fan club trip to a Bundesliga home game in Munich is the best proof of "how much internationality is now part of our fan culture," said Michael Diederich, FC Bayern deputy CEO. "Fan club visits, in which we support the international fan clubs in planning and organising a supporting programme around a home game, are an important component of our international fan activations. We look forward to welcoming as many of our official fan clubs from all over the world to Munich in the future.

The Shanghai fan club was founded in 2019 and already has over 1,000 members. Several official fan events have already taken place in Shanghai in recent years. Giovane Elber dropped by in the club's founding year, while in 2021 they celebrated a "Football Carnival" together, and last year Claudio Pizarro was on site for a meet & greet. The fan club organises three events a month to deepen their passion for FC Bayern - the highlight was the trip to Munich.

"FC Bayern is a Bavarian club that moves fans all over the world," explains Markus Meindl, director of fan and fan club support. "In cooperation with our colleagues in our offices in New York City, Bangkok and Shanghai, we want to share and live the traditions and attitude to life of our club with Bayern fans all over the world. Among other things, we now also offer our successful dialogue format of regional fan club meetings internationally in order to make FC Bayern approachable, authentic and tangible for fans and fan clubs in geographically more distant regions. And when we meet up in Munich for a home game, the circle is complete." This is what happened during the visit to the Allianz Arena on Saturday.

At the same time as the visit to Munich, Stefan Effenberg travelled to China over the past few days. A number of fan meetings and appointments with FCB partners Allianz and Audi took place in Beijing, and the former club captain also visited the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City. Together with FC Bayern fans, he watched the win against Frankfurt and was delighted that some even travelled several hours to attend such events. "The enthusiasm for FC Bayern is enormous - and it is growing. I'm very happy to be here,” said Effenberg, who added that he had already been to China with FC Bayern 22 years ago for a friendly match. “You can see that the fans are absolutely enthusiastic about FC Bayern - that's important for the future." And reciprocal visits deepen the exchange.

Bayern are in Asia for their Audi Summer Tour this year: