March 13, 2023 – Major League Soccer (MLS) – Los Angeles FC News Release
FC Bayern Munich and Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC) have today announced a global soccer development cooperation, named “Red&Gold Football”, which will provide a platform for young talent featuring high-level development and a pathway to first team soccer. The initiative sees the European powerhouse and reigning Major League Soccer champions set up a joint venture based in Munich.
“A partnership of this magnitude is the next step in our evolution as a Club,” LAFC Co-President & General Manager John Thorrington said. “We are extremely excited to work together with FC Bayern to identify and develop young talent in Southern California and beyond and believe this relationship will provide players throughout our systems the ability to maximize their potential and see a clear pathway to first team football.”
FC Bayern and LAFC each own 50 percent of the shares “Red&Gold Football”. The joint venture envisions further cooperation with other football clubs and development academies throughout the world as part of a global development initiative.
“FC Bayern will expand its promotion of young talent with Los Angeles Football Club. On an international level, soccer is developing rapidly, which is also evident in the transfer market. We see this partnership as an opportunity to strengthen FC Bayern in the sporting competition with the best clubs in Europe and the Bundesliga. The fact that the 2026 World Cup will largely take place in the USA, where we already have an office in New York, makes Los Angeles even more attractive. I expect a boost in quality and young talent in Major League Soccer, which will have a positive impact on our partnership,” said Oliver Kahn, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Management at FC Bayern.
FC Bayern Munich opened its first international office in New York in 2014 with the ambition to help support the growth of soccer and support the level of the game in North America. Following the success of the first international venture, the club opened an office in Shanghai in March 2017 and Bangkok in April 2022.
“The cooperation with Los Angeles Football Club gives us the chance to develop talent internationally within our own system. Our campus, which remains at the heart of FC Bayern’s youth development, will also benefit, Hasan Salihamidzic, FC Bayern’s Chief Sports Officer said. “In the future, we will be able to offer our young players a career path that is even…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at OurSports Central Major League Soccer MLS News…