Exclusive Interview: FC Bayern’s Executive Vice Chairman and CFO Dr. Michael Diederich on the Club’s Business Strategy in the Americas.

Roger Hampel

Dr. Michael Diederich, FC Bayern Munich - Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer | Image: FC Bayern

FC Bayern Munich is currently in the United States for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 — a tournament that not only brings together the world’s top clubs, but also offers a unique platform for global brand positioning. For Bayern, it’s an opportunity to strengthen a presence that has been carefully developed over the past decade.

Since opening its New York office in 2014, the club has expanded its network of fan communities, commercial partnerships, and strategic collaborations across North and South America. The approach has been deliberate: long-term, locally anchored, and aligned with the club’s broader vision of international growth.

In this exclusive interview, Dr. Michael Diederich — Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer at FC Bayern Munich — discusses the club’s activities in the Americas, including its partnerships with MLS clubs, cooperation with the Kansas City Chiefs, and its broader strategy for regional engagement.

Dr. Michael Diederich at FC Bayern’s Miami fan event during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025. Image: FC Bayern Munich

BRAND PRESENCE

Roger Hampel (Founder, Football Business Journal): Bayern opened its New York office in 2014 — how has having a physical presence in such a strategic location helped the club grow its footprint in the US?

Dr. Michael Diederich (Executive Vice Chairman and CFO, FC Bayern Munich): FC Bayern opened its first international office in New York in 2014 to service north and south America. This move was part of a long-term strategy that began more than a decade ago, when we first recognized the need to expand our footprint beyond Europe. Given the global appeal of our brand and the unique market structure in Germany, it became clear early on that we needed to grow our presence internationally.

FC Bayern's New York Office | Image: FC Bayern

Starting with just 8 official fan clubs in the US and Canada, we’ve now grown to over 100, reflecting the increasing demand and interest in our club across North America. Along the way, our digital reach and engagement have significantly expanded, particularly through tailored content on US, Spanish, and Portuguese-language channels.

Our physical presence in New York has been crucial in growing our fan base, forming mutually beneficially partnerships and supporting the growth of soccer in the US, and solidifying our position in this strategically important market. While there have certainly been challenges, we’ve remained committed to our vision of global growth. Today, many other clubs have followed our example, and for the German Football League (DFL), international expansion is now recognized as a critical component for the future success of German football.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Roger Hampel (Founder, Football Business Journal): With around 100 official fan clubs across North America, how do you approach community building and fan engagement in the region?

Dr. Michael Diederich: FC Bayern operates with a fan-first mentality and we believe our fans are our best brand ambassadors. We are in close communication with our fan clubs in the Americas and it is our job to ensure that they feel close to the team regardless of the distance to Munich.

Our approach includes tailored activations such as lighting the Allianz Arena with the US flag on July 4 to player messages to specific fan clubs. As well as localized activations such as bringing the Bayern Challenge (a series of Bavarian games) to fans in the region.

 Allianz Arena lights up in U.S. colors on July 4. Image: FC Bayern Munich

PARTNERSHIPS WITH MLS CLUBS FC Bayern Michael Diederich

Roger Hampel (Founder, Football Business Journal): You’ve partnered with MLS clubs like FC Dallas and LAFC — how do these collaborations support both talent development and Bayern’s broader brand positioning in the US?

Dr. Michael Diederich: It was imperative that we have a good relationship with the local league and worked with them to support the growth of the sport. Our partnerships with FC Dallas and now LAFC are about creating development opportunities and pathways for talented young players.

FC Bayern Munich and FC Dallas executives at the announcement of their strategic youth development partnership, officially launched on February 13, 2018. Image: FC Bayern Munich 

CROSS-SPORT COLLABORATION

Roger Hampel (Founder, Football Business Journal): Bayern has also collaborated with the NFL team Kansas City Chiefs. What can Bayern learn from American football organizations, and how do these cross-sport initiatives impact the club’s presence in the US market?

Dr. Michael Diederich: The Kansas City Chiefs have been an important partner for us. Collaborating with them has allowed us to reach new audiences that we may not have had access to before. To bring our players together for content creation and our executives together to share best practice is invaluable and has helped both teams grow in the other’s respective markets.

FC Bayern and the Kansas City Chiefs maintain a strong cross-sport relationship, reflected in player meetups and mutual messages of support around key matches. Image: FC Bayern Munich

IMPACT OF THE FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP

Roger Hampel (Founder, Football Business Journal): How do you see Bayern leveraging the fact that the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be hosted in the US? Are there new opportunities for fan engagement and commercial growth tied to the tournament?

Dr. Michael Diederich: The FIFA Club World Cup is an important tournament, and first and foremost, our ambition is to be as successful as possible. However, beyond the competitive aspect, this tournament offers us an incredible opportunity to position ourselves as a leading club in the important US market and to promote soccer as a whole, which has a tremendous strategic value.

This platform allows us to raise brand awareness through activations, media coverage, and our progression in the tournament. We also aim to create memorable experiences for our fans, create new fans, and engage with potential partners, giving them a taste of the club and introducing them to the world’s biggest sports family.

FC Bayern hosted a fan event in Cincinnati as part of its Club World Cup activations — featuring Dr. Michael Diederich and local supporters. Image: FC Bayern US / X

BEYOND THE US

Roger Hampel (Founder, Football Business Journal): Outside the US, how is Bayern engaging with the wider Americas region — particularly markets like Mexico and Canada? Are there specific initiatives or ambitions for deeper regional involvement?

Dr. Michael Diederich: The US, Mexico and Brazil are our key target markets in the region. In each country, we have set up local language channels to tailor our content and communication with local audiences. The bulk of our activations are in the US and Mexico at the moment but our aim is to start activating in all three eventually. These markets represent huge potential in terms of brand growth, revenue generation and football development.  

FC Bayern’s legends Claudio Pizarro and Giovane Élber (former Brazilian National Team Player) in Miami during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, featured in local-language content by FC Bayern Brasil | Image: FC Bayern Brasil / X