NEW YORK, May 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — FC Bayern is expanding its international youth development program and opening a residential academy in San Diego County, California. The academy is a central component of the FC Bayern Pathway and marks the next milestone in the systematic development of international talent. It represents FC Bayern’s first permanently established youth development structure in the United States.
Director of youth development Jochen Sauer: “Our approach is holistic: first-class training, personalized development plans and strong academic programs. Through close integration with our FC Bayern Campus in Munich, we ensure that young talents are consistently trained to FC Bayern standards. The academy also brings us even closer to our partner Los Angeles FC and strengthens the exchange in youth soccer.”
Head of international youth football Lars Weichert: “San Diego offers an environment with a high concentration of talent, strong infrastructure and great development potential. We will consistently implement FC Bayern’s training philosophy on the ground to support ambitious young players in their next steps – whether that be towards college sport, professional football or international opportunities.”
Operating in line with FC Bayern’s training philosophy and methodology, the academy in San Diego will develop young players from the United States according to the same principles, standards and training approaches that shape player development at FC Bayern, whilst also offering a clear route via the FC Bayern Pathway to opportunities in professional soccer. This pathway embodies FC Bayern’s structured approach to international youth development and links grassroots and elite soccer through clearly defined developmental stages. Players, families and partner clubs are to be offered authentic access to the expertise, methodology and values of the German record champions – with a focus on long-term, player-centered development both on and off the pitch. One positive example is Maycon Cardozo, who made his first-team debut in Salzburg at the beginning of the year.
The FC Bayern U23s already held a training camp in San Diego in January. The Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, an official U.S. Olympic & Paralympic training site, offers ideal conditions for high-performance training and international talent development, confirming its suitability as a long-term location within FC Bayern’s global strategy.
About FC Bayern
FC Bayern is one of the world’s most successful sports organizations on and off the field. Since the club’s foundation in 1900, FC Bayern has won 35 national championships, 20 domestic cups as well as six UEFA Champions League titles, making it the most successful German team in history.
FC Bayern is also renowned globally for its financial success, youth development and supporter culture. The club’s unique ownership structure sees more than 430,000 club members own a majority share, more than any other sports organization in the world.
With over 1 billion interested worldwide, FC Bayern is one of the strongest brands in global sports.
In April 2014, FC Bayern opened its first international office in the U.S. to engage with the millions of fans living in the Americas. In March 2017, following the success of the first international venture, the club opened an office in Shanghai in March 2017, Bangkok April 2022 and Seoul in October 2025.
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SOURCE FC Bayern Munich
