FC Bayern and LAFC form joint venture to develop and sell players

March 16 – German champions Bayern Munich have formed a partnership with Major League Soccer champions LAFC to identify and develop young talent for their own teams and for the market international.

The player development business will be handled by a new joint venture - Red&Gold Football - which will be based in Munich. Management team to be announced.

The company will focus on the development of players for its own players, but also on the release (exchange) of players on the international club market, where the players do not match the plans of FC Bayern or LAFC.

Oliver Kahn, CEO of FC Bayern, underlined the commercial nature of the player development company and its intention to manufacture players for the transfer market.

"FC Bayern will expand its promotion of young talent with the Los Angeles Football Club. Internationally, football is growing 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," Kahn said.

"The fact that the 2026 World Cup will largely take place in the United States, where we already have an office in New York, makes Los Angeles even more attractive. I expect an increase in quality and young talent in Major League Soccer, which will have a positive impact on our partnership."

Bayern have placed their training 'campus' at the heart of developing their youngsters and identifying talent. The partnership will use this expertise and facilities to train the next generation of professional players.

Hasan Salihamidzic, Sporting Director of FC Bayern, said: "The cooperation with Los Angeles Football Club gives us the opportunity to develop talent at international level within our own system…. In the future , we will be able to offer our young players a professional career that is even better suited to them and thus a better transition to our professional teams and professional football."

Bayern have focused on the US market for their own business development, opening an office in New York for partnership and sponsorship sales. This is his first time entering the arena of acting and performance in the United States.

John Thorrington, LAFC Co-Chairman and Chief Executive, said: "A partnership of this magnitude is the next step in our evolution as a club. We are extremely excited to work with FC Bayern. Munich to identify and develop young talent in Southern California and beyond, and we believe this relationship will provide players from all our systems with the opportunity to maximize their potential and see a clear path to our first teams. / p>

LAFC enjoyed a meteoric rise thanks to MLS, having only been founded in 2014 and only entering MLS in 2018 when Mexican company Chivas gave up its Los Angeles-based franchise. In 2020, LAFC made their Concacaf Champions League debut and last season their first MLS Cup (play-off winner) as well as leading the league in the regular season.

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