PZPN

The project, which the Polish Football Association will spearhead with the support of Ekstraklasa SA, I Liga, and the clubs of Poland's two highest divisions, is planned over four years. An important element is the inclusion of I Liga clubs in the programme, which is expected to strengthen their potential and create a better sporting and organisational base for the Ekstraklasa.

“The cooperation of Ekstraklasa and I Liga with Double Pass is another step in supporting the development of Polish football by educating young football talents and effectively introducing them to the first teams. For years, we have been implementing solutions at the Polish Football Association, leagues, and clubs that strengthen training and motivate clubs to bet on young players. We very much hope that the Double Pass programme will make the training process even more effective, as demonstrated by examples from other leagues and Polish clubs that have been using these solutions already,” said Cezary Kulesza, President of the Polish Football Association.

The project aims to introduce a number of significant improvements in the training of young footballers. One priority is to strive to raise club organisational and licensing standards, which will enable more effective management of sports organisations. In addition, the project will support the training of qualified staff, including sports directors and football academy leaders, who are in charge of developing young players.

“Polish club football is developing dynamically. We have seen this in recent years, with our teams performing better in UEFA club competitions, attendance rising, and the value of media and marketing rights increasing. However, we must also move forward in other areas, most importantly, training. The partnership with Double Pass is not only an opportunity for us to raise the standards of management in clubs and their academies but also to develop an effective system of training young players,” said Wojciech Strzałkowski, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Ekstraklasa and the main shareholder of Jagiellonia Białystok.

The planned activities are intended to support club development by implementing best practices and innovative management methods. Through a comprehensive approach, the project has the potential to create a more conducive environment for the development of young talent, which will increase their chances of succeeding in senior football.

“We want to vastly improve a key element—the transition from youth to senior football—because too many talented players do not transfer the skills they have acquired during training to the professional level.   We aim to create a consistent, high-quality development path from the academy to the first teams. With the support of recognised international experts and cooperation with the Polish Football Association, we can strengthen the foundations on which we will build the success of Polish professional football,” emphasises Marcin Animucki, President of Ekstraklasa SA.

“Signing a letter of intent is excellent news for the entire first division environment. In recent years, we have seen a dynamic development of club academies. The possibility of auditing the activities performed and then implementing the recommended activities will certainly have a positive impact on improving the quality of the processes. Creating a coherent concept for the two highest divisions in Poland will benefit the whole environment,” says Marcin Janicki, President of I Liga.

Thanks to the many years of experience and knowledge of Double Pass experts, the participating clubs will gain access to unique solutions. The final details and scope of the cooperation will be defined in an agreement between the parties.

“It is a great pleasure for us to cooperate with a league and the Polish Football Association with such great potential, both in terms of football and economy. Poland is a big country with solid foundations, and the involvement of the Polish Football Association, Ekstraklasa and I Liga and the clubs provides an excellent base for success. Our goal is to build a project that will stimulate talent development and have a real impact. Improving the quality of the academies, increasing the number of players promoted to the first teams and empowering them is key to raising the level of the whole sport,” adds Koen Put, Senior Partner and Managing Director at Double Pass.

Double Pass is a renowned consultancy firm that specialises in audits and support for clubs and football associations worldwide. It has worked with, among others, the Premier League, the Bundesliga and the Royal Belgian Football Association. In recent years, it has implemented analogous projects in cooperation with the Turkish Football Federation, the Swedish and Danish leagues, and others.