In the Football world, much like in any business, a clear and structured plan is fundamental for long-term success. 

Yet, it is rare.

Not one, but many Clubs and Academies operate without one, relying solely on short-term decisions or gut feelings.

Recently, as Seasons are ending in Europe, I was analyzing the number of Coaches at Liga Portugal.
An astonishing average of 2.2 Coaches per Club, with one specific Club having 5 (!) different Coaches during this Season, and another 2 Clubs reaching 4 different Coaches…

Is this connected to sportive success?
Or, to business success?

Just as a side note, Top-5 Clubs had an average of 2.4 Coaches and Low-5 an average of 3.4!

This lack of Strategic Planning often leads to inconsistency, both on and off the field, with financial instability, and missed opportunities.

The Foundation: What is a Business Plan for a Football Club?

A Business Plan is not just a document filled with numbers and fancy words. 

It should work as a Strategic guide, a map that outlines where your Club is now, where it wants to go, and how it plans to get there. 

Most importantly, it states the Core Values that represent the Club.

Think of it as a Game Plan for your Club’s growth and sustainability.

But why is it crucial? 

Because without it, every decision becomes reactive, emotional rather than proactive and rational. 

Your Club may find itself constantly firefighting rather than building a stable future.

The limitations also exist, once majority of the Clubs operate on a short to medium cycle (average around 3 to 4 years), and taking in consideration that the Business Plan itself takes a minimum of 3 to 6 months, depending on the Club size and staff, it can mean that the 1st year alone is spend on planning alone and on taking the first steps towards some defined Strategies.

However, it’s extremely important to spend time asking questions.

Many questions.

From understanding the people that work at the Club, their roles and responsibilities, making a map to clarify existent Guidelines in terms of internal Communication, Organizational Charts, who reports to whom, understand the history of the Club, the Strategies and past approaches, what worked, what not, and why, the future needs, potentially even discuss new material needs, etc.

Strategic Planning: Defining Your Club’s Path

Strategic Planning goes beyond setting goals.

That is only the first step, once you have a clear idea of your values and foundations to implement at the Club, but also understanding where you want to be!

And normally, it’s quite straightforward this process!
It’s definitely about creating a Vision that aligns with your Club’s Values, Community and future expected Position. 

Additionally, it’s certainly about understanding your current situation, identifying challenges, and setting clear, yet achievable objectives.

The main pillars of a Strategic Plan for a Football Club or Academy should include:

1. Vision and Mission – What is your Club’s purpose? Where do you see it in five or ten years?
2. Revenue Streams – From Sponsorships to Academy Fees, how do you plan to generate income?
3. Operational Strategy – How will your club function daily to meet its goals?
4. Performance and Development – What does success look like for your teams and players?
5. Community Engagement – How will you build and maintain strong relationships with your supporters?

Making the Plan Work: Practical Steps

We get to the point where you understand the situation clearly.

Hopefully, you also have set the Objectives.

Now, it’s action time!

The real challenge is execution. 

Start by involving the right people at every Department – it’s very important that the Objectives belong to everyone, not just the Board of Directors —from Coaches, Directors, Staff, Operations and even Players can offer more than valuable insights, but also have a crucial role in the development of each one of the Objectives. 

Set short, medium, and long-term goals (even if they may not be under your responsibility), and assign responsibilities to make everyone accountable.

Explain who needs to report to whom, what are the expectations to have these Objectives met in terms of timelines, just as in Guidance to achieve them.

Break down the Objectives into actionable steps:

• Short-Term (1 year): Improve training facilities, increase social media presence.
• Medium-Term (3 years): Qualify for higher leagues, expand academy programs.
• Long-Term (5-10 years): Establish a professional team, create a sustainable financial model.

Be Flexible and Learning from Mistakes

One of the biggest pitfalls is creating a Plan and then leaving it on a shelf. 

Or, even worse, to not holding people accountable for the execution.

A Business Plan should be a living document—adaptable, reviewed, and refined regularly. 

Too often, Clubs may set unrealistic goals or neglect to consider changing circumstances, or the context can change – who remembers Covid-19 – leading to disillusionment.

To maintain the Business Plan alive, make sure to have regular meetings with the different Departments, to make semestral Reports on the progresses and challenges each team is facing, making an evaluation of those efforts, performances, etc.

By doing so, you’re creating awareness in the entire Club, at the same time as you’re building the Core Foundation of your Club’s Culture – Growth.

Because, as William S. Burroughs said “When you stop growing you start dying.”

And the same applies here.

Final Thoughts: It’s Not Just About the Pitch

The reality is, Football Clubs cannot survive on passion alone, they need the resources that allow them to continue their development – even if development means to keep Training Sessions to be at a low-cost for participants or to keep the Club operating at a sustainable pace.

It doesn’t have to be to reach Champions League in X number of years always!

And don’t be mistaken here, results on the field will always matter, regardless the age category or League.

Who doesn’t like to win?

And what is the problem of wanting to win?

All is OK within reasonability and understanding that at some ages, although winning may be important, it’s not necessarily the most important.

The same Principles are applicable here, the more your team wins, the closer you are to be interesting to potential partners and sponsor, just as the more you win, the more your players are willing and interested to learn.

The key element is to show Value, even when you don’t win – independent that if we’re talking about the Business or the Team.

Building a Sustainable Future requires Structure, Vision, and a willingness to adapt. 

A well-crafted Business Plan helps your Club not only survive but thrive.

Take the time to develop your Strategy, involve your team, and make sure every decision aligns with the bigger picture. 

Remember, a Club that knows where it’s heading will always have the upper hand—on and off the pitch.

Let’s discuss: How do you plan your club’s future? 

What challenges do you face in strategic planning? 

Drop your thoughts below!