What is the FC Bayern World Squad?
Bayern Munich’s World Squad youth programme is aimed at unearthing the best young players around the globe and giving them the platform to develop and make the cut at professional level.
bundesliga.com explains more about one of world football’s most ambitious youth scouting methods…
Bayern opened their state-of-the-art youth academy at the FC Bayern Campus in 2017, hosting all of the club’s youth teams and also accommodation for non-local players as they train with the aim of making it into the first team of the German football’s most successful club.
Down the years, the Bavarians have mostly focused on hoovering up the best of southern Germany’s talent – think back to Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, Sepp Maier through to Thomas Müller, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm – as well as just across the border in Austria, like David Alaba.
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When the Campus was inaugurated, it had already been some seven years since Alaba had broken into the senior squad and was in fact one of the last to remain in the first team on a long-term basis. The goal of the development was to ensure a greater flow of youth players into the professional squad, at the same time looking to avoid the world of ever-increasing transfer fees.
Then in 2021, Bayern took a further step by launching a modern programme aimed at bringing young prospects to them.
The inaugural World Squad consisted of 15 players under the age of 19, having been whittled down from 654 applicants from 64 nations who sent in over 1,200 short videos demonstrating their skills.
The first edition alone saw 18-year-old Colombian forward José Mulato Palacios get the chance to train with the senior squad under Julian Nagelsmann after catching the eye working with the World Squad under club legends Klaus Augenthaler and Giovane Elber.
The World Squad has since returned every year and is going into its fifth edition in 2025, overseen by former striker Roy Makaay for the third year in a row and supported by Diego Contento. Players born in 2007 or 2008 are able to apply for 2025, and the lucky few players who make the cut will have their journey documented in a multi-part behind-the-scenes series.
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“The FC Bayern World Squad has developed into a global flagship project and offers talented young footballers from all over the world a unique platform to showcase their potential,” said Bayern deputy CEO Michael Diederich.
Jochen Sauer, director of youth development and the FC Bayern Campus, added: “It's impressive how the project has developed and established itself around the world. The FC Bayern World Squad has a good reputation in America, Africa, Asia and Europe. Over the past four years, we have discovered and promoted some highly interesting young international players through this unique project. We are excited about the level of our squad for 2025.”
The annual journey usually includes an overseas training camp, with previous years seeing visits to Brazil and the US, as well as practice matches before leading up to a final game against Bayern’s U19s side in Munich.
There are already a number of players in professional football to have emerged from the World Squad. Daniel Francis, a Nigerian midfielder from the second edition, was signed by Bayern in 2022 after impressing in the programme and captaining the side, going on to have spells on loan at Austrian sides Wacker Innsbruck and Austria Klagenfurt, alongside Chinese goalkeeper Liu Shaoziyang.
A 2023 graduate, Victor Orakpo, was signed by French Ligue 1 club Nice in January 2024 and has since extended his deal to 2028 after making his professional debut in August.
You can find out more about the FC Bayern World Squad and how to apply HERE.
The World Squad is also just one of a number of international youth programmes that Bayern run.
The FC Bayern Global Academy offers talented football players the unique opportunity to develop their skills at the FC Bayern Campus for an entire season and to train according to the club’s philosophy.
The FC Bayern Youth Cup is one of the longest-running youth football tournaments hosted by a European football club, providing a great platform for U16 players to showcase their talent in Munich since 2012. To date, more than 20 participants have either signed a professional contract or got called up for their national teams after having participated.
There is also the Coaches Education Programme as part of its FC Bayern Pathway to help educate coaches so they can implement Bayern’s methodology and philosophy in their home countries.
In addition, Bayern have also created Red&Gold Football in a joint venture with Los Angeles Football Club. The goal of the cooperation is the promotion of young players and their responsible accompaniment into professional football.
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