Focus Group Led by EMCA: European Clubs Exchange Insights on Dual Careers
Understanding how clubs support young athletes in balancing sport and education
On 13 June 2025, the EDU-DC – EDUcation for Dual Careers of football talents project hosted an insightful focus group led by the European Multisport Club Association (EMCA). The session brought together representatives from four pilot clubs: TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen (Germany), Aalborg (Denmark), Ferencváros (Hungary) and Olympiacos (Greece).
The meeting explored how clubs across Europe help young athletes combine their sporting commitments with education — a central pillar of the dual career concept.
Clubs from Germany and Denmark shared well-established examples of cooperation with schools, where coaches, teachers and club staff maintain regular communication to support players’ academic progress and resolve potential conflicts early. Meanwhile, Olympiacos and Ferencváros expressed strong motivation to further develop their dual career structures, highlighting the need for sustainable funding, mental coaching and access to external experts.
Across all clubs, several key success factors emerged: mentoring systems, positive role models and partnerships with local companies that give young athletes valuable life skills and early employability experience.
Despite many positive practices, the discussion also revealed common challenges. Many young athletes still underestimate the importance of having a “Plan B” beyond sport. Financial literacy and mental health support are limited, and dual career initiatives often rely on short-term project funding rather than long-term club strategies. Participants stressed the need for ongoing staff training, structured knowledge exchange and potentially a European-level guide to support smaller clubs in building effective dual career systems.
The focus group confirmed that sustainable dual career support requires strong cooperation between clubs, schools and families, combined with investment in life skills, financial education and greater European coordination to ensure equal opportunities for all young athletes.