Double pass
Double Pass is a Belgian football consultancy, spun out of the University of Brussels in 2004, that audits and advises federations, leagues, and clubs — including FIFA, the English Premier League, USSF, and Bundesliga — on talent development systems using a proprietary scientific model and 85+ specialists.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersBrussel, Belgium
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Double pass does
Double Pass is a Belgian football talent development consultancy founded in 2004 as a spin-off from the University of Brussels (VUB). The company assesses and advises football (con)federations, leagues, and clubs on optimizing their talent development ecosystems, serving a client roster that includes FIFA, the English Premier League, the United States Soccer Federation, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), the Bundesliga, the J-League, Football Flanders, and the Football Federation of Hungary, among others.
The company's offering is structured around three core service pillars: Audit & Analysis (structured assessments of talent development systems including documentation review, stakeholder interviews, on-site observation, and benchmarking), Education & Mentoring (MasterClass programs for Sporting Directors, Academy Directors, Women Football Experts, and coaches, plus Coach Expert Clinics), and Implementation & Advisory (ongoing support translating recommendations into operational change, including Talent Development Manuals and Club Implementation Cycles). Underpinning these services is a proprietary scientific model and set of algorithms developed over 20+ years of applied research at the VUB, with a stated roster of 85+ specialists including ex-pro players, head coaches, and domain experts. A dedicated digital and innovation function (DATI / DPDL) signals an effort to productize the methodology into software-enabled tooling.
The business model is project-based professional services with custom engagement structures; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Revenue is generated through audit and licensing engagements (e.g., 160–170 clubs audited annually in Flanders, 28 talent centers in Hungary), flagship multi-country programs (e.g., the FIFA global analysis across 130 countries), and recurring education and advisory fees. The company is privately held, founder/partner-owned with no disclosed institutional investors or external funding, and operates from its headquarters in Zaventem, Belgium, with active engagements across Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania.
Double pass firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Double pass
- Legal name
- Double Pass
- Website
- https://doublepass.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Double Pass is a Belgian football consultancy, spun out of the University of Brussels in 2004, that audits and advises federations, leagues, and clubs — including FIFA, the English Premier League, USSF, and Bundesliga — on talent development systems using a proprietary scientific model and 85+ specialists.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Double pass industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Football Talent Development Consulting
- NAICS
- Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Spectator Sports (71121)
- SIC
- Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sports Business Consulting & Advisory (Strategy, Valuation, Due Diligence) (MPAKAKAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Sports Data, Analytics & CRM Services (Fan Data, Insights, Audience Development) (MPAKAKAO)
Keywords
Where Double pass is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brussel
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Double pass business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Professional Services - Audit & Analysis: Consulting engagements involving comprehensive audits of football organizations' talent development systems, including onsite visits, stakeholder interviews, and detailed reporting with recommendations
- Education & Mentoring Programs: MasterClass programs, workshops, and educational initiatives for sporting directors, academy directors, coaches, and other football technical leaders
- Implementation & Advisory Services: Ongoing advisory support helping clubs and federations implement recommendations, optimize operations, and develop talent development ecosystems
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Double pass product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Double Pass is an international football consultancy that assesses and advises football (Con)Federations, Leagues, and Clubs on optimizing their talent development systems. Its portfolio centers on three pillars: Audit & Analysis (comprehensive assessment of talent development systems and club/academy performance), Education & Mentoring (MasterClass programs for Sporting Directors, Academy Directors, Coaches, and Women Football Experts), and Implementation & Advisory (hands-on support to translate recommendations into operational improvements, including Talent Development Manuals, Coach Expert Clinics, and Club Implementation Cycles).
Product overview
Double Pass is a football talent development consultancy offering a unified service portfolio centered around three core pillars: Audit & Analysis, Education & Mentoring, and Implementation & Advisory. The company, founded in 2004 as a spin-off from the University of Brussels (VUB), provides comprehensive assessments of talent development systems through its proprietary methodology, supported by over 85 experienced professionals. The service architecture combines structured auditing frameworks with educational MasterClass programs (including specialized tracks for Sporting Directors, Academy Directors, and Women Football Experts), and hands-on implementation support including Talent Development Manuals, Coach Expert Clinics, and Club Implementation Cycles. The company leverages scientific models and proprietary algorithms to deliver data-driven insights and recommendations for federations, leagues, and clubs worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Audit & Analysis Comprehensive assessment of football talent development systems, club operations, and academy performance through structured audits involving documentation review, stakeholder interviews, and on-site observations, for federations, leagues, and clubs.
- Education & Mentoring MasterClass programs and educational initiatives for sporting directors, academy directors, coaches, and technical leaders to build capabilities in talent development, coaching excellence, and club management.
- Implementation & Advisory Tailored strategic recommendations and hands-on support for clubs, leagues, and federations to implement talent development frameworks, optimize organizational structures, and drive sustainable performance improvements.
- MasterClass for Sporting Directors Executive education program designed to equip sporting directors with skills in staff management, talent identification, strategic planning, and modern football leadership.
- MasterClass for Academy Directors Specialized training program for academy directors covering club management, player development, curriculum construction, and academy operations best practices.
- MasterClass for Women Football Experts Dedicated educational track focused on developing women's football leadership, strategy, and talent identification capabilities.
- Audit System Analysis Review and enhancement methodology for existing audit systems, enabling federations to improve evaluation frameworks and data-driven decision-making.
- Talent Development Manual Comprehensive strategic guide provided to federations and clubs detailing talent development processes, ecosystem building, and implementation frameworks for nurturing player talent effectively.
- Coach Expert Clinics Hands-on collaborative sessions bringing coaches together to share best practices, receive practical guidance, and foster professional development within the coaching community.
- Club Implementation Cycle Structured approach enabling clubs to translate theoretical knowledge into practical application, improving performance through customized strategies and operational enhancements.
Quantifiable outcome
- Homegrown players transitioning to other first teams increased from 13 to 15; Playing opportunities in other first teams rose from 10 to 13; Starting eleven appearances in other first teams grew from 8 to 12 (Bundesliga)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Double pass
Customer profileNamed customers14 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Double pass technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Double pass partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- FVF VenezuelacorePartnership to develop Venezuelan football talent through Talent Development Manual creation, MasterClass for Sport-Technical Leaders, and Coach Expert Clinics across Venezuelan clubs.
- Italian Football Federation (FIGC)coreCollaboration with FIGC's Youth and School Department (SGS) to conduct assessments and analyses of criteria and guidelines applied to amateur, grassroots, and professional clubs.
- English Premier LeaguecoreAcademy Assessment as part of the EPPP (Elite Player Performance Plan) to redefine Youth Academy Systems, including categorization of academies into tiers.
- Swedish Elite FootballcoreTailor-Made educational tracks for Sporting Directors and Academy Directors, focusing on club strategy, organization, leadership, football philosophy, and player recruitment.
- United States Soccer Federation (USSF)coreTalent Development Assessment and advisory services for Development Academies, Youth National Teams, and professional clubs, including MasterClasses for MLS and USL Academy Directors.
- J-LeaguecoreLicensing audits of clubs and Youth Academies, MasterClass programs for Sport-Technical Leadership, and implementation support for recommendations.
- Turkish Football Federation (TFF)coreCoach Expert Clinics, MasterClasses for Academy Directors, Talent Development Manual, and implementation support involving 125+ first and second-class coaches.
- Football FlanderscoreLicensing & Analysis system with 160-170 clubs audited annually, youth competition series format, and awards for best practices.
- Football Federation of HungarycoreAudit & Licensing system for 28 talent centers, MasterClasses for Sporting Directors and Academy Directors, and long-term partnership for evolving needs.
- FIFAflagshipWorldwide analysis of football ecosystems covering Clubs, Academies, and High-Performance centers in 130 countries, benchmarking against international best practices, with comprehensive reports and recommendations.
- TrabzonsporcoreTalent Development System optimization through expert-led co-creation, staff management, club structure refinement, and customized implementation solutions.
- Bundesliga & German Football FederationcoreYouth Academy Analysis using Double Pass model, research on homegrown player transitions, benchmarking and categorization of Bundesliga clubs.
- Romanian Football Federation (FRF)coreMasterClass Academy Director course, MasterClass Sporting Director, and Club Implementation cycles for six prominent clubs.
- Norwegian Topfootball (NFF & NTF)coreMasterClasses for Sporting Directors and Heads of Women's Football, Audit System Analysis, and conferences for CEOs, Sporting Directors, and Academy Directors.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Double pass competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Hudl: Sports video analysis and performance platform serving clubs and federations across multiple sports; competes for technology budget tied to talent identification and academy development alongside Double Pass's consultancy work.
- Stats Perform (Opta): Global sports data and AI company (parent of Opta and the former 21st Club) providing data, analytics, and advisory to football organisations — overlapping in federation-grade analytical consulting.
- Catapult Sports: Athlete performance monitoring and analytics platform widely adopted by elite football academies and federations — competes for talent development and player pathway technology budgets.
- Wyscout: Leading football video scouting and analytics platform used by clubs, federations, and leagues worldwide for talent identification and academy workflows — adjacent to Double Pass's talent development audits.
- SciSports: Football analytics provider combining tracking data, AI-based insights, and advisory services to professional clubs and federations — overlaps with Double Pass's data-driven talent evaluation and academy benchmarking.
Emerging players
- InStat: Football and sports analytics platform offering video, statistical, and scouting tools to clubs and federations — partial overlap with Double Pass's data-driven academy assessment offering.
Direct peers
- Football Benchmark: Football-specific advisory boutique providing data-driven strategic, valuation, and due diligence services to clubs, investors, and federations — competes for similar B2B consulting wallet in elite football.
- CIES (International Centre for Sport Studies): Switzerland-based FIFA-affiliated research and education centre offering football management education, observatories, and consulting to federations and clubs — closely overlaps with Double Pass's education and talent development missions.
- 21st Club: Football intelligence and consulting firm advising clubs, leagues, and investors on player valuation, recruitment strategy, and sporting performance — directly competing with Double Pass's advisory work for elite football organisations.
Others
- Global Sports Intelligence (GSI): Sports consulting and executive search firm working with football clubs, leagues, and federations on leadership and governance — adjacent ecosystem participant to Double Pass's sporting-director MasterClass programmes.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Double pass social profiles
Digital presenceDouble pass financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Double pass leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles17 records
Double pass funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Double pass M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Double pass
What does Double pass do?
Double Pass is an international football consultancy that assesses and advises football (Con)Federations, Leagues, and Clubs on optimizing their talent development systems. Its portfolio centers on three pillars: Audit & Analysis (comprehensive assessment of talent development systems and club/academy performance), Education & Mentoring (MasterClass programs for Sporting Directors, Academy Directors, Coaches, and Women Football Experts), and Implementation & Advisory (hands-on support to translate recommendations into operational improvements, including Talent Development Manuals, Coach Expert Clinics, and Club Implementation Cycles).
Is Double pass a public or private company?
Double pass is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Double pass founded?
Double pass was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Double pass based?
Double pass is headquartered in Brussel, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does Double pass make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Professional Services - Audit & Analysis are the primary driver. The others are education & Mentoring Programs and implementation & Advisory Services.
Who are Double pass's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Hudl, Stats Perform (Opta), Catapult Sports, Wyscout and SciSports. InStat is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Football Benchmark, CIES (International Centre for Sport Studies) and 21st Club. Global Sports Intelligence (GSI) is listed as an others.
Does Double pass have an API?
No public API is recorded for Double pass.
What industry is Double pass in?
Double pass's product category is Football Talent Development Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAKAL, Sports Business Consulting & Advisory (Strategy, Valuation, Due Diligence), with a secondary code of MPAKAKAO, Sports Data, Analytics & CRM Services (Fan Data, Insights, Audience Development). Its NAICS code is 54169 and its SIC code is 8700.