"TEAM BERLIN should be the focus of attention in the coming years," emphasized BFV President Bernd Schultz in his opening speech at the TEAM BERLIN kick-off dialogue, which took place on Friday, 23 January 2026, from 4:30 p.m. at the EUREF Campus Berlin. TEAM BERLIN is made up of all those who shape amateur soccer in Berlin - whether as players or referees on the pitch, as coaches, support staff or parents on the sidelines or as facilitators in the surrounding area, such as officials, partners, media or politicians (see Mission statement of the BFV). The BFV wants to focus more on the needs of its members and actively involve them in shaping the future. "We want to launch participation formats in the second half of 2026. We want to develop these formats today with their input," explained BFV Managing Director Kevin Langner at the start of the event in Schöneberg.

In order to capture the ideas of around 100 participants at the TEAM BERLIN kick-off dialog in as targeted and structured a manner as possible, various work stations were set up at the event location where discussions were held, questions asked and content recorded. Accompanied by full-time BFV employees, the guests from Berlin soccer worked at the stands on the following topics:

• Club focus 2026: Which topics is your own club particularly concerned with in 2026?
• Needs, wishes and challenges: What needs and challenges do your own clubs face? What support options does the BFV offer as a result?
• Participation formats: How should BFV formats be designed in the future to encourage active participation?
• Fair play: What is the BFV's own understanding of fair play on and off the pitch?
• Innovation: What are realistic solutions for existing challenges faced by clubs?
• Inspiration: Learning from innovative ideas from other clubs and becoming part of the discussion.

After the working phase, the results were summarized on stage by moderator Martin Meyer and shared with all those present. The findings will be incorporated into the design of the upcoming participation formats and the content of the TEAM BERLIN Strategy 2026-2029, the implementation of which was decided at the 2025 Ordinary Association Day.

The mental activation at the work stations was deepened by the stage program as the event progressed. An input from Kevin Langner on the new TEAM BERLIN REPLAY strategy for more girls, women, inter, non-binary, trans and agender people in Berlin soccer was followed by a panel discussion on the future of volunteering. Martin Meyer welcomed the 1st Chairman of Askania Coepenick, Max Büttner, and BFV Presidential Member Young Generation U30 Hannah Bachhoffer to the stage.

Both agreed that changes are needed in the volunteer structure in order to meet the growing challenges. "We need volunteering in roles that also work for three to four hours a week. Volunteering 15 to 20 hours a week is not realistic and is no longer in keeping with the times," said Max Büttner, a view that was reinforced by Hannah Bachhoffer: "Microvolunteering is also very effective if it is well designed. Every volunteer can be a role model, no matter how much time they can contribute." The DFB points gamein which amateur clubs are rewarded with attractive prizes for implementing various measures, the chairman of Askania Coepenick believes it is a successful campaign. "It gives us ideas on where we can start in terms of implementation and thus facilitates the thought process," said Büttner, who concluded the talk by expressing two wishes for the future to the BFV: "intensive advice on modern forms of organization and project support that takes over administrative activities in the voluntary work of clubs."

The second part of the evening's program, which began at around 6:30 p.m. and was joined by other guests from Berlin's sports politics, initially focused on the topic of innovation. For the second time since 2024, the BFV awarded the Berlin Football Innovation Prize. The prize was awarded to creative ideas from Berlin clubs that deal with the topics of volunteer recruitment and retention in a forward-looking and solution-oriented manner.

Before the big award ceremony, Lisa Währer, Co-Founder & Managing Director at Viktoria Berlin, and Tolga "Santino" Herdem, presenter and face of the communication support for the first edition, spoke about disruption in soccer. Both are part of the BFV's Committee for Innovation, Club and Association Development, which was responsible for the conception of the award. "Innovation is a key question for me," explained Tolga "Santino". "Does the existing system really serve the people or just the structure? For me, being innovative means stepping out of your comfort zone." Lisa Währer emphasized that "innovation doesn't always have to be something completely new". "It can also be an innovation to improve things and make the best possible use of potential."

The awards were then presented by BFV President Bernd Schultz, Hannah Bachhoffer (Member of the Presidential Board, Young Generation U30) and Malte Schruth (Member of the Presidential Board, Innovation, Club and Association Development and Qualification). The following clubs received prize money:

Shared 1st place(prize money €1,000 each):

• Askania Coepenick ("Micro Volunteering")
• Polar Pinguin ("Engagement-Assists")
• Berolina Mitte ("In Portrait" interview format)

Shared 2nd place(prize money €400 each):

• Pfeffersport ("KIEZ card")
• BSC Rehberge ("Concept for volunteer recruitment")
• Berliner Amateure ("Germany ticket for coaches")
• Friedrichshagener SV ("Friedrichshagen says thank you")

Shared 3rd place(prize money €100 each):

• Askania Coepenick ("Agenda 2030")
• Internationale Berlin (various projects, including the handbook "Ehrenamt mittendrin")
• BFC Germania ("Gemeinsam ins Ehrenamt")

The ideas can be viewed here and serve as inspiration: Submissions for the Berlin Football Innovation Award 2025

The BFV used the festive stage of the TEAM BERLIN Kick-Off Dialogue to make the draws for the Polytan Cup for the 1st Women and the COSY-WASCH State Cup for the 1st Men in front of the assembled audience. The pairings, drawn by Lina, a participant in the BFV girls' soccer project Everyone kicks along! and secret star of the evening, can be viewed here: Draw results 1st women and 1st men

The event was rounded off by the presentation of the joint fundraising campaigns of the BFV and its member clubs for the benefit of the German Children's Cancer Aid Foundation. In 2025, they were able to collect 15,500 euros for a good cause. Michael Krüger, member of the BFV Youth Committee and initiator of the initiative, announced further campaigns for 2026 and received great applause from TEAM BERLIN, who had spent a varied evening in the spirit of exchange and togetherness.