In a landmark move for Indian football, Athlead the sports development arm of Shrachi Sports Endeavour Private Limited has announced a three-year partnership with German club FC Ingolstadt 04, renowned for its robust youth academy. The collaboration aims to establish and operate the Athlead Sports Academy in India, with direct technical and educational support from the German club.
The agreement was formally signed in Munich in the presence of Rahul Todi, Managing Director of Shrachi Sports, Tamal Ghosal, Chairman of Shrachi Sports, Didi Beiersdorfer, CEO of FC Ingolstadt 04, Manuel Baum, Sporting Director and Head of Youth Development, and Dr Dorothea Deneke-Stoll, Mayor of Ingolstadt.
As part of the partnership, Athlead will set up residential academies in Burdwan and New Delhi, along with a football academy at South City International School, Kolkata. The initiative is designed to identify and nurture young Indian footballers using German methodologies, preparing them to compete in the Bengal Super League (BSL) and other domestic and international competitions.
“This partnership goes beyond building academies; it’s about creating a vision for the future of Indian football,” said Rahul Todi, adding that collaboration with one of Europe’s leading youth development clubs will provide Indian players and coaches access to world-class training and exposure.
Under the agreement, FC Ingolstadt specialists will regularly visit India to conduct workshops, training sessions, and infrastructure assessments. The German side will guide the design of academy systems, coach education, and player development programs. Knowledge transfer will cover areas such as sports science, fitness, psychology, match analysis, and pedagogy, ensuring a holistic approach to player growth.
Indian coaches from the BSL Academy will also gain hands-on experience through job-shadowing placements at FC Ingolstadt’s Youth Academy in Germany. Additionally, 16 Indian players will take part in international training stints — beginning with two-week programs and later extending to three-month residential phases — providing exposure to elite European standards.
The three-year implementation plan will see FC Ingolstadt experts conduct an initial audit and develop a comprehensive blueprint for the BSL Academy in the first year. The following phases will focus on training, coach education, and performance evaluation, culminating in a review and sustainability report.
This collaboration signifies a major step in merging German expertise with Indian ambition, building a strong foundation for India’s next generation of footballers.
About FC Ingolstadt 04: Founded in 2004, the Bavarian club competes in Germany’s third division and operates one of the country’s most respected youth academies, training over 10,000 players across age groups.
About Athlead: A Shrachi Group initiative, Athlead aims to revolutionize grassroots sports development in India through structured programs combining sports, education, and science.
About Shrachi Sports: The sports division of the Shrachi Group, Shrachi Sports is committed to strengthening Bengal’s sporting ecosystem through professional leagues, academies, and digital ventures, promoting India’s growth as a vibrant sporting nation.