The unique way FC Bayern and RB Leipzig are scouting the next big U.S. talent | OneFootball

Claudio and Giovanni Reyna, Tyler Adams and Christian Pulisic are just a few of the many American players who have chosen Germany as their first step into European football.

The Bundesliga’s relationship with the U.S. has a long history and continues to grow – and through a partnership with two of its top clubs, Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig, the league is now reinforcing that connection through a new and unconventional talent-identification event.

In partnership with Top Baller, the Bundesliga has launched a multi-city, 1v1 tournament series for U16 boys in the United States. The first of four qualifiers has already taken place, with the final scheduled for April 2026. The goal: uncover elite prospects in an environment designed to reward individual skill, technical ability and intensity.

“This partnership with Top Baller is a great fit for us. It’s a very young and dynamic activity, it’s possible to identify great players and speaks the language of soccer development without it being a pay-to-play approach, which is quite important for us,” Bundesliga Americas Executive Vice President Robin Austermann exclusively told Bulinews.com. 

“At the same time, it fits an overall approach of creating engaging content and telling a story to a wider audience.” 

Check out the highlights from the first qualifier below.

Big rewards for breakout performers

FC Bayern and RB Leipzig have ensured there’s plenty to play for, offering significant opportunities to standout participants.

Each event winner earns a place in the FC Bayern Youth Cup qualifier next summer. From there, players can advance to represent Team USA at the Youth Cup in Munich or receive an invitation to Bayern’s Global Academy program.

RB Leipzig, meanwhile, will have scouts present at the tournament final and will select two prospects to spend a week training at the club’s academy in Germany.

Both clubs already maintain strong links to Major League Soccer. RB Leipzig are closely connected to their American sister club, the New York Red Bulls, while Bayern Munich operate a global football development cooperation with Los Angeles FC under the banner of "Red&Gold Football".

“It’s a win-win-win situation for everyone,” Austermann said. “If this competition strengthens Bayern’s and Leipzig’s youth soccer activities, it’s also something we benefit from.” 

The FC Bayern Pathway meets a new platform

Bayern Munich operate a well-structured global scouting approach through the FC Bayern Pathway, an ecosystem of national and international camps that allows young players to be assessed by real Bayern staff.

FC Bayern Americas Managing Director Julia Willer believes the new U.S. 1v1 tournament fits naturally into that framework.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to participate and add to our existing FC Bayern Pathway. It allows us to engage with talent at an early stage and connect grassroots football with a professional club environment,” Willer exclusively told Bulinews.com. 

“The whole idea of building community and giving undiscovered talent the opportunity to be seen and shine matches really well with our values.”

Beyond talent identification, Willer emphasized the competition’s value as a way to connect with the next generation of supporters.

“It’s also a unique chance for us to engage with a young audience. The tournament is different, high-paced and there’s a lot of energy, which is part of the reason it attracts so much attention on different platforms. Overall, the competition is a great way of showing FC Bayern are present, engaged and invested in the market,” she added.

She also underlined that standout performers will receive genuine consideration.

"What's crucial for us is authenticity: we always have a real FC Bayern employee on site. That means participants are genuinely seen, evaluated and have a real chance to become part of the FC Bayern ecosystem." 

The first qualifier took place in New York City on November 1 (Photo: Bundesliga Americas).

Leipzig ready to take a chance

RB Leipzig Head of Youth Development David Wagner sees the project as a natural fit for a club known for aggressively identifying and developing young talent.

With the 2026 World Cup approaching and given the club’s strong connection to the New York Red Bulls, Wagner felt the timing was ideal.

“If we find the next big talent in this competition, it would be great," Wagner said in an exclusive interview with Bulinews.com. 

"Nobody knows if this will be the case, but at least we give ourselves a chance, and that’s what life is all about,” added the RB Leipzig boss.

While the 1v1 format highlights individual skill and intensity, questions remain about how well it reflects a player’s ability in full-team situations. Wagner is intrigued by the format and curious to see what emerges.

"I’m quite interested myself to see what kind of talent we will identify. You’ll find a lot of interesting skills in a tournament like this. How these fit into a team is an exciting aspect as well," he said.

Even if selected players spend only a week in Leipzig, Wagner insists the evaluation will be thorough.

“After a week with us, we know more or less everything we have to know about a player,” he noted. “We can predict quite well how talented a player is compared to the young players we already have in our building.”

The Tyler Adams example

Tyler Adams remains the most successful case of a U.S. prospect moving from the New York Red Bulls to RB Leipzig – and the only American who has firmly established himself at the Bundesliga club. 

Adams joined in January 2019, made over 100 appearances for the club, and is now a regular at Bournemouth. 

“A lot of things need to click for a story like Tyler’s to happen,” David Wagner said. “If you get a foreign player in, it’s important that everything is super stable and quiet, and Tyler was given a perfect platform back then,” he explained.

Wagner emphasized the importance of RB Leipzig working closely with the New York Red Bulls, with several American players recently traveling to Germany to train.

Looking ahead, his focus is on strengthening Leipzig’s pathway from academy to first team.

“This is one of the things we'd like to improve and why I'm sitting in this chair,” said Wagner, who began his role as head of youth development last summer.

"We can’t say we have a great proven record in terms of bringing players from the academy into the first team,” he added. ”But we should rather look to the future.”

With a crowded first-team squad this season, openings may be limited – but he expects more space next year. And while Leipzig are open to finding the next U.S. star, Wagner stresses that nationality isn’t the guiding factor.

“Maybe we will find the next talent in the American market. But it’s not about the passport, it's about the talent.”