FBIN Management Excellence Awards 2025: The Nominees

Celebrating outstanding achievements in football business, the FBIN Management Excellence Awards recognise the most impactful initiatives and projects across the industry. With six categories, the awards highlight those driving innovation, setting new benchmarks, and shaping the future of football management.

We are delighted to reveal the shortlists for the FBIN Management Excellence Awards 2025!

The six Award Categories

• Best Innovation Initiative: The award for initiatives that demonstrate how organisations embrace innovation as part of their strategy and culture.
• Impact Beyond Business: Recognising projects that create outstanding positive social, environmental, or community impact.
• HR & Culture Excellence: The award for initiatives that strengthen HR practices, employee development, and workplace culture.
• Best Global Approach: Recognising projects that successfully drive international growth, expanding into new markets, or global impact.
• Best Digital Transformation Initiative: Recognising projects that achieve lasting organisational improvement through digital transformation efforts.
• Best Tool or Service: Honors tools or services that have a big impact on the strategic and operational management of football organisations.

The nine Jury Members

Following a thorough evaluation of all submissions, the jury has selected the top three nominees in each category. The jury consists of:

• Zoe Brough, People Director, Chelsea FC
• Jaime Dominguez, Founder, Ballketing
• Juan Fuentes Fernández, Director Global Testing LAB Valencia, GSIC
• Tomasz Kowalczyk, Head of PZPN Innovation Hub, Polish Football Federation
• Cesare Polenghi, CEO, Ganassa
• Doris Sassen, Club Consultant, KNVB Expertise
• Stijn Slaats, Former Senior Executive, European Football for Development Network
• Mathias Slezak, Press Officer, Austrian Bundesliga
• Alexander Staehelin, Independent Consultant, Aurora Sports Advisory

The Nominees

Best Innovation Initiative

• Club Brugge: Club Pay
• FC Hansa Rostock: Fans. Float. Future. – Turning fan Passion into Financial Power.
• Sevilla FC: Sevilla FC+

Impact Beyond Business

• FK Teplice: Charity Day at Stínadla Stadium
• KRC Genk: Welfare Cup
• Samsunspor: PURPLE JERSEY

HR & Culture Excellence

• Club Brugge: Club College: a holistic Learning Ecosystem
• Huddersfield Town FC: Everything Together

Best Global Approach

• Atletico de Madrid: Internationalization Strategy
• Real Sociedad: Real Sociedad in Japan
• Sevilla FC: Sevilla FC+

Best Digital Transformation Initiative

• D.C. United: Psychographics in Play
• Royal Belgian Football Association: Crafting Value through Data & Insights
• Vitória SC: Vitória SC x Blocksport – Redefining Fan Engagement Through Digital Transformation

Best Tool or Service

• Gutscheinwerft: The Technology behind the Float
• Opta by Stats Perform: Opta Stream – Turning Live Scores into a Growth Engine
• TrollWall: Building Healthier Online Communities

Congratulations to all shortlisted nominees! The winners will be announced on 11 November, during the Welcome Evening prior the FBIN Management Excellence Summit in Salzburg.