After a standout inaugural edition, the Talent Development Summit is back and ready to raise the bar even higher.
On November 11–12, 2025, football experts from across Europe, Asia and North America will once again gather in Graz, Austria, for two days of deep-dive discussions, exclusive insights, and interactive sessions focused on the future of talent development in the game. (Request your Ticket for the Talent Development Summit 2025 now!)
From academy directors to data analysts, from sporting directors to CEOs, the summit brings together some of the most forward-thinking minds in football.
With early confirmations from renowned speakers like Richard Allen (High Performance Specialist & Talent ID, FIFA), Jochen Sauer (Director of Youth Development and Campus, FC Bayern), Paul Schaffran (Director of Youth Performance Center, Borussia Dortmund), Nuno Maurício (Head of Performance Analysis Department, SL Benfica) and Wojciech Rockicki (Chairman of the Management Board, Legia Training Center) the 2025 edition is already shaping up to be a must-attend event for anyone committed to shaping the next generation of talent.
“For us, the expectations were 100% fulfilled,” said skills.lab-CEO Johannes Tändl after the last edition. “We wanted to have very valuable discussions with people heavily involved in football from different angles and that’s exactly what we got. This was our proof of concept, and we’re excited to bring it back.”
What truly sets the Talent Development Summit apart is its emphasis on meaningful exchange. It’s not just about keynote speeches, it’s about conversations, collaboration, and community.
Last year’s attendees echoed that sentiment. “Really insightful,” said Duncan Fearnhead (Academy Manager, Southampton FC). “I got information from clubs I wouldn’t have dealt with otherwise. It was really well organized, visiting the skills.lab in Wundschuh was great. Incorporating high-level technology within a high-level performance sport. That’s the way the game is going.”
Jochen Sauer highlighted the industry-wide relevance: “A great event with a lot of good people from the industry. The exchange we had here makes it very special.”
Petr Hurych (Academy Manager, SK Slavia Praha) added: “Sharing thoughts and getting ideas from different levels of clubs helped confirm we’re on the right path. Football is moving from subjectivity to objectivity and data is key.”
The summit is also a space for deeper insight into how top-level clubs think and operate. As Günter Kreissl, Head of Top Talent Development (Projekt 12)at the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) put it: “You can see that at the top level, no matter the country, people work in very similar structures. The holistic idea of how to develop talented players is one thing but often it comes down to the details. And here, we got new perspectives.”
Alongside the main program of talks and panels, the Talent Development Summit 2025 will again feature informal networking opportunities, giving participants plenty of time to connect, exchange perspectives, and build lasting professional relationships.
Because at the end of the day, talent development is about more than just theory. It’s about real connections, shared expertise, and a commitment to moving the game forward, together.
Request your Ticket for the Talent Development Summit 2025 here.
