Baller League, a Berlin-based startup focused on developing indoor football leagues with its 6v6, 30-minute match format, has secured a €23 million Series A funding round.
The funding round was led by EQT Ventures, following an earlier €7.6 million raised in Summer 2024, bringing the total funding to over €31 million.
Felix Starck, CEO of Baller League, highlighted the importance of connecting with football’s grassroots: “Small sided football is the biggest sport in the world. Most football players around the world have never even played traditional 11 a side football. At Baller League we want to reconnect to that base and give these players and fans the stage they deserve.”
“Building a company is a marathon, not a sprint and EQT Ventures completely understands this, offering the perfect counterpart to our team at Baller League. As we expand to new markets next year, I have complete trust in their ability to support our growth,” Starck added.
Founded in 2023, Baller League has already played two successful seasons in Germany, winning fans with its fast-paced and accessible approach to football. The league, inspired by street football, aims to reconnect with the global roots of the sport, delivering shorter, high-energy games that cater to modern audiences.
Two weeks ago Baller League announced its expansion to the US and UK, where notable influencers KSI and IShowSpeed are to lead leagues along with known footballers, presenters, and influencers, such as Luis Figo, Ronaldinho, Freddie Ljungberg, John Terry, Gary Lineker, Angry Ginge, and members of the Sidemen slated as team presidents.
Players drafted to the Baller League are former academy players, free agents, and recently retired pros or semi-pros, as high quality sport is a top strategic priority.
The competition began live-streamed on Twitch in a disused plane hanger in Cologne, with big names offerering up their services – including footballers Christoph Kramer and Alisha Lehmann.
The league has already gathered nearly one million combined followers across digital platforms, with matches streamed on YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, and other social channels, making it the #1 Twitch channel in Germany and one of the top five globally.
Baller League UK is set to kick off on 3 March 2025. Running every Monday until 19 May, the league will feature 12 teams competing, with the top four teams advancing to the play-offs, where the season’s champion will be crowned.
Player trials will be held in London and Manchester, welcoming a diverse pool of talent, including recently retired professionals, futsal players, free agents, and released academy players. Matches will be live-streamed, while YouTuber Chunkz will host a weekly show.
According to BallerLeague, the gameplay should be highly familiar to audiences globally, as millions of fans grew up playing fast-paced, small-side football on the playground and on the street.
Ashley Lundström, Partner at EQT Ventures, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership: “Felix and the team are passionate, creative, and ambitious. With backgrounds in entertainment, sports-media and professional football – combined with an incredible ability to turn ideas into action – they are exceptionally well positioned to build the next generation of this sport. Their grounded approach to bringing a loved sport back to its roots resonates deeply with us. We couldn’t be more excited about partnering with this team on their journey.”
Baller League’s innovative model combines high-quality gameplay, featuring former academy players and semi-professionals, with a fan-first culture that embraces digital platforms.
“Sport is no longer as easy as just saying ‘look, we’re here now, come and watch us,” said Starck. “That’s just not how sport works any more. It needs to be exciting, and it needs to be authentic. Those are the two words that we always use at Baller League.“
With this latest funding, the startup is poised to expand its unique format internationally while engaging audiences with its high-energy, community-driven approach to football.
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2024/12/317723/
