Germany: DFB campus already a hive of activity

Before they had even been officially inaugurated, the national women’s team was the first to make use of the facilities (pictured), when head coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg called up an extended squad to begin preparations for the Women’s EURO at its new Frankfurt base.

The German team’s performance in England proved that this was not a bad way to get the ball rolling. In a captivating tournament, they went all the way to the final before losing to the hosts. Meanwhile, the men’s Under-17 squad became the first national youth team to visit the campus, where they held a short training camp and scouting tournament.

Coach education activities

The campus is also the new home of the DFB’s coach education activities. Sixteen up-and-coming coaches completed the next stage of their Pro diploma course in Frankfurt in August.

On a site of roughly 15 hectares, a building complex 307m long and 18.5m tall at its highest point houses the DFB’s administrative offices and youth academy. The campus also boasts a large indoor football hall, a 33-bedroom hotel for players, a multipurpose futsal hall, three and a half grass pitches and additional training areas. The medical centre, meanwhile, provides first-class treatment and rehabilitation facilities for the players.

This article originally appeared in UEFA Direct 199