Baller League, a Berlin-based startup targeted on creating indoor soccer leagues with its 6v6, 30-minute match format, has secured a €23 million Collection A funding spherical.
The funding spherical was led by EQT Ventures, following an earlier €7.6 million raised in Summer time 2024, bringing the full funding to over €31 million.
Felix Starck, CEO of Baller League, highlighted the significance of connecting with soccer’s grassroots: “Small sided soccer is the most important sport on the planet. Most soccer gamers around the globe have by no means even performed conventional 11 a aspect soccer. At Baller League we need to reconnect to that base and provides these gamers and followers the stage they deserve.”
“Constructing an organization is a marathon, not a dash and EQT Ventures fully understands this, providing the proper counterpart to our workforce at Baller League. As we develop to new markets subsequent 12 months, I’ve full belief of their capacity to help our progress,” Starck added.
Based in 2023, Baller League has already performed two profitable seasons in Germany, profitable followers with its fast-paced and accessible strategy to soccer. The league, impressed by avenue soccer, goals to reconnect with the worldwide roots of the game, delivering shorter, high-energy video games that cater to fashionable audiences.
Two weeks in the past Baller League introduced its enlargement to the US and UK, the place notable influencers KSI and IShowSpeed are to steer leagues together with recognized footballers, presenters, and influencers, similar to Luis Figo, Ronaldinho, Freddie Ljungberg, John Terry, Gary Lineker, Indignant Ginge, and members of the Sidemen slated as workforce presidents.
Gamers drafted to the Baller League are former academy gamers, free brokers, and not too long ago retired professionals or semi-pros, as top quality sport is a prime strategic precedence.
The competitors started live-streamed on Twitch in a disused aircraft hanger in Cologne, with large names offerering up their providers – together with footballers Christoph Kramer and Alisha Lehmann.
The league has already gathered almost a million mixed followers throughout digital platforms, with matches streamed on YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, and different social channels, making it the #1 Twitch channel in Germany and one of many prime 5 globally.
Baller League UK is ready to kick off on 3 March 2025. Working each Monday till 19 Might, the league will function 12 groups competing, with the highest 4 groups advancing to the play-offs, the place the season’s champion might be topped.
Participant trials might be held in London and Manchester, welcoming a various pool of expertise, together with not too long ago retired professionals, futsal gamers, free brokers, and launched academy gamers. Matches might be live-streamed, whereas YouTuber Chunkz will host a weekly present.
Based on BallerLeague, the gameplay needs to be extremely acquainted to audiences globally, as hundreds of thousands of followers grew up taking part in fast-paced, small-side soccer on the playground and on the road.
Ashley Lundström, Associate at EQT Ventures, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership: “Felix and the workforce are passionate, artistic, and impressive. With backgrounds in leisure, sports-media {and professional} soccer – mixed with an unbelievable capacity to show concepts into motion – they’re exceptionally nicely positioned to construct the subsequent era of this sport. Their grounded strategy to bringing a cherished sport again to its roots resonates deeply with us. We couldn’t be extra enthusiastic about partnering with this workforce on their journey.”
Baller League’s progressive mannequin combines high-quality gameplay, that includes former academy gamers and semi-professionals, with a fan-first tradition that embraces digital platforms.
“Sport is not as simple as simply saying ‘look, we’re right here now, come and watch us,” mentioned Starck. “That’s simply not how sport works any extra. It must be thrilling, and it must be genuine. These are the 2 phrases that we all the time use at Baller League.“
With this newest funding, the startup is poised to develop its distinctive format internationally whereas partaking audiences with its high-energy, community-driven strategy to soccer.
