In an effort to improve and expand the team’s talent pool, FC Dallas has entered into a historic player development deal.
The club announced a comprehensive multi-year partnership with FC Bayern Munich, allowing players within their professional academies a pathway to soccer in both the United States and Germany. The two clubs will also come together to exchange talent.
"We are thrilled to join FC Bayern Munich in this groundbreaking collaboration," FC Dallas chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said in a statement. "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 and FC Bayern Munich will collaborate on coaching, exchanging expertise that helped develop national team players, including Thomas Müller, Mats Hummels, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Kellyn Acosta. Opportunities will also be created for the youngsters to play fixtures against one another in their respective countries.
“The United States is home to our very first international office, highlighting our commitment to engaging and growing FC Bayern's fan base in the Americas", said FC Bayern Munich's Executive Board Member for Internationalization and Strategy, Jörg Wacker. "Our intention from the beginning has been to help support the growth of soccer in the U.S., supporting the existing development of players. For us FC Dallas is the ideal partner."
In December, three U.S. homegrown players from FC Dallas visited Munich to experience the same training as FC Bayern stars. The German club has been working since 2014 to help grow the game in North America.
"This is a unique alliance between two historic teams at the forefront of youth development," said 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."
