FC Bayern Munich and FC Dallas have today announced a comprehensive partnership, the first of its kind, that will offer players within their professional academies a pathway to soccer both in the United States and Germany.
The European powerhouse and founding Major League Soccer Member will come together
to exchange talent, allowing young players to experience different coaching styles and settings to enhance their development.
“We are thrilled to join FC Bayern Munich in this groundbreaking collaboration,” said FC Dallas chairman and CEO Clark Hunt. “One of our primary goals is to develop an academy and a club that can compete at the highest level on a global scale.
This unprecedented partnership with one of the most successful clubs in the world marks a
significant step toward that goal and we look forward to working closely with the outstanding leadership at FC Bayern”.
FC Dallas players and coaches will be welcomed at the FC Bayern Campus, which opened
in August 2017. The state-of-the-art academy houses eight football pitches, a
multi-purpose sports hall, the youth academy and a clubhouse with office space on a 74-acre plot.
“This is a unique alliance between two historic teams at the forefront of youth development,” commented FC Bayern Munich’s President of the Americas, Rudolf Vidal.
“We are proud to announce this partnership with FC Dallas, who have pioneered professional soccer in the U.S. Working with FC Dallas at this elite level will complement the extensive grassroots infrastructure we have helped create over the last few years in North America,” he added.
Like the city of Munich, North Texas is fast becoming a soccer hub with FC Dallas at
the heart. Twenty academy players have signed for the club’s first team, the highest number in Major League Soccer with 10 players currently holding roster spots. In
addition, at least 28 FC Dallas Academy players have appeared with the youth national teams of the U.S., Canada, or Mexico.
In December, three U.S. homegrown players from FC Dallas visited Munich to experience the same training as FC Bayern stars.
The Texas-based team sent their youngest player signing, 16-year-old forward, Bryan Reynolds, who also represents the U.S. at international level (U-17) along with 17-year-old Paxton Pomykal who became FC Dallas’ youngest-ever starter in March. The midfielder also represents the U.S. U-18 National Team. In addition, the 19-year-old defender, Reggie Cannon who made his first-team debut last year (February) attended the 10-day training experience.
FC Bayern Munich has been working since 2014 to help grow the level of the game in North America.
Through its grassroots partnership with Global Premier Soccer, the club is sharing its coaching philosophy and curriculum with over 90,000 children and 6,000 coaches in 101 soccer clubs in over 22 states.
