Fifth edition of FC Bayern World Squad | OneFootball

The FC Bayern World Squad is set for its fifth edition – once again with Audi as a strong partner at its side. With the ‘Red against Racism’ logo on their chests, 23 young talents from 16 different countries born in 2007/08 will be brought together, to not only grow as footballers but also as people. Like last year, the team will be supported by Roy Makaay as head coach, Diego Contento as assistant coach and Bernd Dreher as goalkeeping coach. As well as a multi-week training programme in China and Munich, fans can look forward to a three-part documentary film, which will closely follow the emotional and sporting journey of the players.

Roy Makaay emphasised: “I’m very pleased to be a part of this special project again this year. Working with young talents from such a wide range of cultures is greatly enriching – for them and also for us coaches. Our aim is to not just help them on as players but also strengthen them as personalities.”

Unique stages

Following an international scouting stage, which already started in December 2024, this year’s World Squad will start in July with the initial training in Munich. The team will then travel to China, where matches against the Shanghai Shenhua U19s and the Zhejiang FC U20s are planned, among other things. Back in Munich, further highlights are in store including two friendlies and the match against the German record champions’ U19 side as the big finale.

Michael Diederich, deputy CEO of FC Bayern, underlined the significance of the project: “The FC Bayern World Squad is about much more than football. Diversity, tolerance and the promotion of young talents – these are values we want to carry around the world. This project is a bridge between continents and cultures, which offers young player genuine prospects. We’re proud to have a partner by our side in Audi that shares this vision.”

Christian Schüller, head of sports marketing at Audi, added: “We at Audi believe in progress through diversity. The FC Bayern World Squad is an impressive example of how intercultural collaboration encourages sporting and human excellence. Together with FC Bayern we want to open up chances for young talents that they might never have dared to dream of.”

From the scouting stage to professional football

The results speak for themselves: since 2011, nine players from the World Squad have been given a professional contract, including Daniel Francis, who now plays for Wacker Innsbruck, and Maycon Cardozo, who was the first player to be accepted directly into the FC Bayern academy. Five returnees and 18 new talents are now at the ready in the Class of ‘25.

Jochen Sauer, director of youth development at FC Bayern, stated: “The FC Bayern World Squad has established itself as an international platform for talented youngsters with prospects. We’re impressed by the development over the past few years, both in sporting and personal terms. It’s fascinating to see how firmly the project has established itself worldwide and how many young players have made the leap into professional football. The Class of '25 once again has great potential. We’re looking forward to the coming weeks.”

New film series shines a light on the faces behind the project

This year, a three-part film will be produced, which will be released after the journey and give deeper insights into the stories and personalities of the players. This will be complemented by extensive live social media coverage on the Instagram channel @fcbayernpathway as well as on the official FC Bayern channels. The international talents will again sport the ‘Red against Racism’ logo this year to raise awareness of the cross-club initiative for diversity and against all forms of discrimination.

China as sporting highlight

Assistant coach Contento has already visited China ahead of the trip to prepare for the encounters with the Shanghai Shenhua U19s and the Zhejiang FC U20s. This brought about a jersey swap over the rooftops of Shanghai as a symbol of respect and international football culture. The FC Bayern World Squad is thus also sending a strong signal in Asia in favour of diversity and sporting exchange on an equal footing.

International Youth Programs