Ajax Expands Football Partnerships Strategy to Strengthen Talent Development.

Roger Hampel

Photo Credit: Ajax

Ajax has outlined its ambition to compete for major European trophies in the coming years, with the Football Partnerships department playing a role in supporting that vision. The initiative, formerly known as the Ajax Coaching Academy, has been restructured to reflect changes in the football landscape and to align with the club’s long-term strategy.

From Coaching Academy to Football Partnerships

The shift from Ajax Coaching Academy to Football Partnerships reflects a broader mandate: sharing Ajax’s youth development philosophy with domestic and international partner clubs, coaches, and players, while simultaneously identifying talent for Ajax’s own system.

Corné Groenendijk, Head of Football Partnerships, explained:

“It is about give and take. We share our knowledge with our football partners, and at the same time we aim to connect the right talent to our club – whether players or coaches. That is why Football Partnerships is a better name.”

Domestic and International Network Ajax Talent Development

Ajax currently works with over 60 partner clubs in the Netherlands, forming the foundation of the club’s youth development pathway. These collaborations enable young players to be scouted and potentially move into Ajax’s academy, while partner clubs benefit from knowledge-sharing and technical support.

Internationally, Ajax has partnerships in Mexico, the Middle East, Japan, Italy, Greece, Spain and Chile, with plans to further expand the network. The club positions these collaborations as essential to maintaining competitiveness in an increasingly globalised football environment.

Multi-Club Network and Global Summit

Ajax also emphasises the role of its Multi-Club Network. During a training camp in Como, the club hosted its second Global Summit, bringing together partners such as Como 1907, Grupo Pachuca, Gamba Osaka, Sharjah FC, Al Bidda and Kerkyra United.

According to Groenendijk, early identification is now critical:

“In the past you could still scout Zlatan Ibrahimovic at 18 in Sweden. Today, that would already be too late. That is why it is important to have partners around the world to access quality talent.”

Recently, Ajax added FC Volendam as a new domestic partner, building on the region’s reputation for consistently producing promising players. The collaboration is intended to improve player development and knowledge exchange while supporting sustainable pathways for players and coaches.

Strategic Context

The Football Partnerships department works closely with senior football leadership, including Director of Football Marijn Beuker, Technical Director Alex Kroes, Head of Scouting Kelvin de Lang, Head of Youth Scouting Bram Berkhout, and Women’s Football Manager Loïs Schenkel.

Ajax views these partnerships as part of a broader ecosystem that balances knowledge-sharing with talent identification, aiming to ensure sustainable competitiveness.