Brera Holdings PLC (Nasdaq: BREA) and Toronto Blizzard Grassroots Soccer Partnership Targets Youth Sports, an Estimated $69 Billion Industry by 2030

Rhea-AI Summary

Brera Holdings (NASDAQ: BREA) has formed a strategic partnership with Toronto Blizzard Corp. to tap into the youth sports market, projected to reach $69.4B by 2030. The collaboration aims to leverage Blizzard Development Academy and Brera's network of professional football clubs across three continents. The partnership will provide development opportunities for young soccer players aged 3-18, utilizing Brera's international club network including SS Juve Stabia, Brera Strumica FC, and Brera Tiverija FC. Starting summer 2026, the initiative will include talent identification camps in Toronto and European training experiences. The program builds on Toronto Blizzard's successful track record in girls' soccer development and their previous collaboration with FC Bayern Munich. The partnership targets both the growing youth sports market and the $37B sports tourism sector while creating pathways for young players to access professional opportunities and college scholarships.

Positive

• Partnership targets lucrative youth sports market projected to reach $69.4B by 2030
• Access to multiple professional clubs across three continents provides diverse development pathways
• Program builds on Toronto Blizzard's established success in girls' soccer development
• Creates opportunities for both athletic development and potential college scholarships
• Leverages growing $37B sports tourism market through international training experiences

Negative

• Implementation of programs not starting until summer 2026
• Friendly matches and programs subject to financial sustainability
• -

Insights

Sports Business Analyst

Brera's Toronto Blizzard partnership extends youth soccer reach but lacks concrete financial projections or immediate revenue impact.

Brera Holdings has announced an advisory agreement with Toronto Blizzard Corp. targeting the youth sports market, which represents a strategic move but with uncertain financial implications. The partnership aims to leverage Toronto Blizzard's established soccer scholarship program alongside Brera's international club network spanning Italy, North Macedonia, Mongolia, and Mozambique.

The initiative references impressive market size figures—youth sports valued at $37.5 billion in 2022 with projections of $69.4 billion by 2030, plus sports tourism's $91.8 billion economic impact. However, the announcement lacks specific revenue projections or investment figures related to this partnership, making its financial impact difficult to quantify.

The proposed activities include talent identification camps in Toronto, European training experiences at Brera club academies, and potential friendly matches between Brera clubs and Canadian professional teams. While these initiatives could theoretically generate revenue through participation fees, merchandising, and event attendance, the timeline extends to 2026 "or sooner," indicating this is a long-term strategic play rather than an immediate revenue generator.

Notably, the announced partnership is described as an "advisory agreement" rather than a formal joint venture or equity arrangement, suggesting a limited financial commitment. The release also conditions planned activities on "financial sustainability," indicating uncertainty about the economic viability of the initiative.

The partnership represents incremental brand extension for Brera's multi-club ownership strategy but falls short of providing concrete metrics by which investors could measure success or potential return on investment.

Worth $37.5B in 2022, Youth Sports are Projected to Hit $69.4B by 2030 According to Profluence.com, with Sports Tourism’s Total Economic Impact $91.8B in 2021

Joe Parolini is the Owner and Coach of Toronto Blizzard

Dublin, Ireland; Naples, Italy; and Toronto, Canada, June 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brera Holdings PLC (“Brera Holdings” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: BREA), an Ireland-based international holding company focused on expanding its global portfolio of men’s and women’s sports clubs through a multi-club ownership (“MCO”) strategy, commented on its advisory agreement with the owner of Canada’s premier soccer scholarship program, Toronto Blizzard Corp., designed to tap into the $69 billion youth sports market as reported by Profluence.com.

The initiative intends to leverage the Blizzard Development Academy and Brera’s network of pro football clubs and youth academies across three continents, targeting the $37 billion sports tourism market as also reported by Profluence.com. Brera looks forward to going beyond Blizzard’s preeminence in girls soccer to also provide a clear pathway for boys and eventually girls to rapidly progress into the professional ranks.

The partnership aims to provide young soccer players aged 3 to 7 (Little Blizzard Kickers) and 8 to 18 the opportunity to learn and develop as players from exposure to talent at Brera’s clubs, including “the Second Team of Naples,” SS Juve Stabia in Italy’s Serie B; North Macedonian first-division men’s team Fudbalski Klub Akademija Pandev, now known as Brera Strumica FC; its related women's football club Tiverija Strumica, now known as Brera Tiverija FC, and other clubs in the Brera network from Mongolia and Mozambique.

This goal will be achieved through sharing Brera clubs’ coaching methodologies with the Blizzard programs and together creating pathways for young players, modeled after Blizzard’s 2022 initiative developed with the record-breaking Bundesliga (Germany) champions FC Bayern Munich.

Toronto Blizzard Corp. President and Owner, and Soccer Hall of Famer Giuseppe “Joe” Parolini commented, “Brera Holdings is the perfect partner to help bring new coaching philosophies to talented youth in Ontario. When I took over the ownership of the Blizzard in 1999, ensuring equal opportunities for women and girls to play and receive the same quality of training and development was very important to me. Through this partnership I believe we can identify talent, develop and create pathways to other opportunities such as Juve Stabia in Naples where I was born, Brera Strumica and Tiverjia in North Macedonia, the World Squad, and more.” 

Talent identification camps in metro Toronto, and European on-site experiences planned to bring Blizzard players to Brera’s club academies are intended to begin in the summer of 2026 or sooner.  Toronto Blizzard will promote and coordinate the camps and European academies, which will be delivered by Brera clubs’ coaches and players in collaboration with Blizzard technical staff.  Friendly matches between Brera clubs and Canadian professional teams are also in the planning stages for 2026 and beyond, subject to financial sustainability.

According to Profluence.com some 88% of women’s college soccer athletes have played first at the youth club level, with 77% of men coming from the same feeder system.  With private college tuition and fees rising from $11,000 in 1981 to $33,000 in 2021, as public college costs went from $2,500 to $9,500 in the same period, the value of an athletic scholarship has never been greater.

“We’ve seen the incredible soccer talent coming from Canada, as well as at the NCAA programs of U.S. universities where Blizzard alumni have distinguished themselves,” commented Brera Holdings Executive Chairman Daniel J. McClory.  “Our partnership with Toronto Blizzard will allow us to share our clubs’ coaching philosophies as well as identify and help develop young talent in Toronto. We look forward to introducing this partnership to the Province of Ontario with the Blizzard, and bringing players to train at the academies of our clubs in Italy and North Macedonia, as these countries enjoy longstanding and particularly strong cross-cultural ties with the Toronto metro area,” he added.

ABOUT TORONTO BLIZZARD CORP. AND BLIZZARD DEVELOPMENT ACADEMY CORP.

Toronto Blizzard Corp. is a premier youth soccer organization under the continuous ownership, coaching and management of Soccer Hall of Famer Giuseppe “Joe” Parolini since 1999. Along with its affiliated entity Blizzard Development Academy Corp. (collectively “Toronto Blizzard”), they serve girls and boys playing soccer from age 8 to 18. Focused initially on ensuring equal opportunities for women and girls to play and receive the same quality of training and development available to boys, Blizzard is now going beyond its historical preeminence in girls soccer to also provide a clear pathway for boys to rapidly progress into the professional ranks. Noted for its competitive youth teams, talent identification clinics, and alumni match tours featuring college players developed by Blizzard competing against NCAA squads, among other innovations pioneered by Joe Parolini and his staff. Blizzard in 2022 developed a youth initiative with the record-breaking Bundesliga (Germany) champions FC Bayern Munich. In 2025 Joe Parolini was named an advisor to Nasdaq-listed Brera Holdings PLC, the first multi-club owner of soccer teams to IPO on a stock exchange. He is developing a strategic Brera-Blizzard plan to establish a comprehensive grassroots program for boys and girls in North America and beyond. The initiative intends to leverage the Blizzard Development Academy and Brera’s network of pro football clubs and youth academies across three continents.

ABOUT BRERA HOLDINGS PLC

Brera Holdings PLC(Nasdaq: BREA) is dedicated to expanding its social impact football business by developing a global portfolio of emerging football and sports clubs. Building on the legacy of Brera FC, which it acquired in 2022, the Company aims to create opportunities for tournament prizes, sponsorships, and professional consulting services. Brera FC, recognized as "The Third Team of Milan," has been crafting an alternative football legacy since its founding in 2000. The club also organizes the FENIX Trophy, a nonprofessional pan-European tournament acknowledged by UEFA. This tournament, which has been referred to as "the Champions League for Amateurs" by BBC Sport, has garnered significant media coverage, including from ESPN.

In its efforts to broaden its reach, Brera expanded into Africa in March 2023 by establishing Brera Tchumene FC in Mozambique, which quickly rose to the First Division after winning its post-season tournament. In April 2023, the Company acquired a 90% stake in the North Macedonian first-division team Fudbalski Klub Akademija Pandev, now known as Brera Strumica FC. Additionally, in June 2023, Brera made a strategic investment in Manchester United PLC, realizing a 74% gain. The Company has further diversified its portfolio by acquiring a majority stake in UYBA Volley, an Italian women's professional volleyball team, in July 2023, assuming control of Bayanzurkh Sporting Ilch FC, a Mongolian National Premier League team, which became Brera Ilch FC, in September 2023, and establishing a joint stock company for the North Macedonian women's football club Tiverija Strumica, now known as Brera Tiverija FC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Brera Strumica FC, in June 2024.

On December 31, 2024, Brera executed an agreement to acquire majority stake of the corporate capital of Juve Stabia srl, the company which manages the Italian Serie B football club Juve Stabia, also known as “The Second Team of Naples”. The acquisition will be conducted in a multi-step process and marks a significant expansion of the Company’s MCO model. As of February 12, 2025, Brera holds a 38.46% equity ownership interest in Juve Stabia.  With a strategic emphasis on bottom-up value creation, innovation-driven growth, and socially impactful outcomes, Brera Holdings has established itself as a forward-thinking leader in the global sports industry. For more information, visit www.breraholdings.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Such statements include statements regarding the Company's ability to grow its business and other statements that are not historical facts, including statements which may be accompanied by the words "intends," "may," "will," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "projects," "predicts," "estimates," "aims," "believes," "hopes," "potential" or similar words. Actual results could differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements due to a number of factors, including without limitation, the Company's ability to continue as a going concern, the popularity and/or competitive success of the Company's acquired football and other sports teams, the Company's ability to attract players and staff for acquired clubs, unsuccessful acquisitions or other strategic transactions, the possibility of a decline in the popularity of football or other sports, the Company's ability to expand its fanbase, sponsors and commercial partners, general economic conditions, and other risk factors detailed in the Company's filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake any responsibility to update such forward-looking statements except in accordance with applicable law.

Company Contact Information:

Dan McClory, Executive Chairman, Brera Holdings PLC
Email: dan@breraholdings.com 

Joe Parolini, President, Toronto Blizzard Corp.
Email: joeparolini@torontoblizzard.com 

Attachment

• Joe Parolini is the Owner and Coach of Toronto Blizzard

FAQ

What is the partnership between Brera Holdings (BREA) and Toronto Blizzard?

Brera Holdings and Toronto Blizzard have formed an advisory agreement to develop youth soccer programs, providing players aged 3-18 access to professional development opportunities through Brera's international club network.

What is the market size for youth sports that BREA is targeting?

The youth sports market was worth $37.5B in 2022 and is projected to reach $69.4B by 2030, with sports tourism having a $91.8B economic impact in 2021.

Which age groups does the BREA-Toronto Blizzard program target?

The program targets Little Blizzard Kickers (ages 3-7) and youth players aged 8-18.

When will Brera Holdings (BREA) begin its talent identification camps in Toronto?

The talent identification camps and European on-site experiences are planned to begin in summer 2026 or sooner.

Which international clubs are part of Brera Holdings' network?

Brera's network includes SS Juve Stabia in Italy's Serie B, Brera Strumica FC and Brera Tiverija FC in North Macedonia, and additional clubs in Mongolia and Mozambique.