Around 150 girls and boys from six school classes were in for a special highlight on 27 June 2025: a combination of digital education and exercise. Along with ReDI School of Digital Integration and the Bavarian FA, FC Bayern invited youths to the Code & Kick event at the FC Bayern Campus.
At the event, which is sponsored by the Bavarian State Ministry for Digital Affairs and is part of the BayCode education initiative, participants aged 13 to 17 proved that two fundamentally different disciplines can be combined. The youths learned basic programming skills and developed their own small website in a three-hour course. After lunch at Clubheim *1900, they completed a football session under the auspices of licensed coaches from the Bavarian FA (BFV).
“Two worlds that seem very different at first come together – digitalisation and sport. However, the two topics can be combined perfectly. On the one hand, the youths learn how exciting programming can be, on the other hand, they learn that exercise can increase their performance,” said Stefan Mennerich, FC Bayern Director of Media, Digital & Communication and FC Bayern Digital & Media Lab GmbH Managing Director.
In addition to programming and playing, all participants were given a tour of the Campus, which opened in 2017, and received a small gift to conclude the event in the late afternoon. “We were very pleased to host Code & Kick this year. Not only did all participants have a lot of fun, they also learned something and were active,” emphasised organiser Thomas Ehemann, FC Bayern Head of Digital Fan Experience.
Dr Fabian Mehring, Bavarian Minister of State for Digital Affairs, opened the summer event in the morning and was enthusiastic: “Code & Kick shows how we can get young people excited about digitalisation – in a practical and playful way that is relevant. We bring programming to where youths are – on the football pitch. We combine sport with digital education to create real chances for the future – which is exactly what is needed to further strengthen Bavaria as a premium location for future technologies.”
BFV president Christoph Kern added: “Education and exercise go hand in hand for us. Football teaches youths team spirit, fairness and commitment – BayCode adds digital education. A powerful combination we as an association are proud of.”
Birgit Köbl, head of ReDI School Munich: “BayCode is not just about programming but about self-efficacy: youths discover that they can create things with digital tools, which changes perspectives.”
