Bundesliga Signs Three-Year Cooperation Deal with China’s Taicang High-Tech Zone.

Roger Hampel

Image: Bundesliga International

Bundesliga International has signed a three-year strategic cooperation agreement with the Taicang High-tech Zone, a key industrial and commercial hub in eastern China widely known as “Little Germany” due to the presence of over 560 German companies.

The deal aims to strengthen Bundesliga’s profile in China’s Yangtze River Delta, a region home to approximately 240 million people and considered one of the country’s most economically dynamic clusters. Located near Shanghai, Taicang has become a key base for German firms operating in China since the 1990s.

The agreement was formalised last week during a signing ceremony attended by Peer Naubert, CEO of Bundesliga International, and Xu Huadong, Mayor of Taicang. It builds on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in June at the 17th Taicang Day in Stuttgart, with VfB Stuttgart also present via its Chief Marketing and Sales Officer Rouven Kasper.

Expanding Bundesliga’s Ecosystem in China

The partnership is designed to deepen Bundesliga’s local engagement, promote youth football development, and offer new platforms for German clubs to activate within China. Bundesliga clubs with a direct presence in China include Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Wolfsburg, and Eintracht Frankfurt—more than any other European league.

Bundesliga International operates a permanent office in Beijing and has existing partnerships with Chinese broadcasters, sponsors, and the Chinese Football Association. The league continues to position itself as the most active European football property in the Chinese market.

Football, Trade, and Cultural Exchange

The agreement is also closely tied to broader Sino-German economic and cultural exchange, reflecting the dual focus on football development and strategic business alignment.

Initiatives planned as part of the cooperation include:

• Youth football competitions and training projects

• A Corporate Cup for German and Chinese companies in Taicang

• A Sino-German business summit

• Promotion of the Bundesliga during local cultural events, including an Oktoberfest-style festival

  
  

The Bundesliga’s Dream China program will also continue to provide Chinese youth players with training opportunities at top Bundesliga academies. Five players from the 2024 Dream China intake were part of the China U-17 squad that reached the final of the AFC U-17 Asian Cup.

Market Position and Long-Term Intent Bundesliga Taicang High-Tech Zone

The collaboration underscores the Bundesliga’s commitment to long-term market development in China, not only through media and licensing, but also through grassroots football, cultural integration, and corporate engagement.

Peer Naubert, CEO of Bundesliga International, noted:

“Taicang perfectly fits our strategy of supporting local football development and working with our partners. The Bundesliga remains the most active European league in China.”