DFB chooses Blankenhain as its new training base – a football dream!

DFB chooses Blankenhain as its new training base – a football dream!

A very special place will be the focus of the German national football team in the future. Blankenhain in Weimarer Land will be the new, permanent training headquarters of the German Football Association (DFB) from 2027. In the idyllic surroundings of the spa and golf resort, both the men's and U21 national teams have already made their final preparations for the European Championships. DFB sports director Rudi Völler had already expressed the desire to concentrate all selection teams there from 2027 onwards in May of this year. Why Blankenhain? This question will probably be on the lips of many football fans from the beginning of August, when the cooperation is publicly presented.

The change is no coincidence: With the expiry of the contract between the DFB and Adidas, which has been the DFB's main training location for decades, in 2026, the association is forced to take new paths. MDR reports that Adidas will be replaced by the American sporting goods manufacturer Nike from 2027. The brand, which will act as a new partner from January 1, 2027, is getting a lot of hands on it: It is estimated that Nike will transfer 100 million euros per year to the DFB - a significant increase compared to the previous approximately 50 million euros from Adidas.

New perspectives in the DFB

In preparation for the 2024 European Championship, the German national team has already completed training in the new quarters in Blankenhain. During the last European Championship finals, the English national team celebrated a few days of association history with captain Harry Kane in Blankenhain. The resort's five-star superior hotel, which opened in 2022, appears to have passed its first tests very well. VKZ reports that the DFB team will hold another training camp there from May 26th to 31st, 2024.

Let's switch briefly to the DFB campus in Frankfurt: A Christmas party for 600 employees recently took place there. President Bernd Neuendorf said that the association's financial situation is considered worrying, especially after a loss of 4.2 million euros in the 2022 financial year. The reasons for this are complex, including financial problems, sporting failures and the construction of the campus, which cost almost 190 million euros. But Neuendorf remains optimistic and is aiming for a balanced budget by the end of 2023.

The EM 2024 in view

Preparations for the 2024 European Championship are in full swing. Billions of requests for tickets have already been received, with over 2.3 million for the final in Berlin and 1.4 million for the opening game against Scotland in Munich. Fans from 206 countries have also expressed requests for tickets. The greatest demand comes from Croatia, Albania and Turkey. In this context, interest in volunteer jobs for the tournament has also become very noticeable: a total of 145,000 applications were submitted.

At a time when the DFB team is preparing for great success, the course for the future seems to be well set. Sports Illustrated reports on the far-reaching contracts that not only relate to the men's team, but will also include women's football and the amateur sector. So it's more than just a new training facility - Blankenhain could become the heart of German football in the future.