Bayern Munich is opening a residential academy in San Diego County, California, which will open the doors as a development pathway for young athletes in the Americas.
This venture will be the club’s first permanently established youth development structure in the United States:
Operating in line with FC Bayern’s training philosophy and methodology, the academy in San Diego will develop young players from the United States according to the same principles, standards and training approaches that shape
player development at FC Bayern, whilst also offering a clear route via the FC Bayern Pathway to opportunities in professional soccer. This pathway embodies FC Bayern’s structured approach to international youth development and links grassroots and elite soccer through clearly defined developmental stages. Players, families and partner clubs are to be offered authentic access to the expertise, methodology and values of the German record champions – with a focus on long-term, player-centered development both on and off the pitch. One positive example is Maycon Cardozo, who made his first-team debut in Salzburg at the beginning of the year.
Bayern Munich director of youth development Jochen Sauer indicated that the same developmental practices and standards will be implemented in San Diego that are currently being used at Säbener Straße.
“Our approach is holistic: first-class training, personalized development plans and strong academic programs. Through close integration with our FC Bayern campus in Munich, we ensure that young talents are consistently trained to FC Bayern standards. The academy also brings us even closer to our partner Los Angeles FC and strengthens the exchange in youth soccer,” said Sauer.
Head of international youth football Lars Weichert is excited for this program to get started.
“San Diego offers an environment with a high concentration of talent, strong infrastructure and great development potential. We will consistently implement FC Bayern’s training philosophy on the ground to support ambitious young players in their next steps – whether that be towards college sport, professional football or international opportunities,” Weichert said.
The academy will formally open on September 26th.
If you are looking for more Bayern Munich and German national team coverage, check out the latest episodes of Bavarian Podcast Works, which you can get on Acast, Spotify, Apple, or any leading podcast distributor…
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