Industrial developer Panattoni has deepened its ties with German football club Borussia Dortmund after agreeing an expanded partnership that runs until 2029.
The agreement upgrades Panattoni to official partner status with the Bundesliga club for another three years, according to an announcement published on the company's website. Panattoni is led by Robert Dobrzycki, who also serves as the owner and president of Polish top-flight football club Widzew Łódź.
Panattoni initially joined Dortmund's corporate network in 2024 as an advertising partner and a member of the BVB-BusinessNetwork. Under the new arrangement, the industrial real estate firm has extended its commercial relationship through 2029 while elevating its status to become an official BVB partner.
Long-term partnership with Dortmund
Dobrzycki said extending the collaboration and taking it to a higher level was a natural continuation of a relationship developed over many years. He noted that an initiative that started with support for former Dortmund defender Łukasz Piszczek's youth academy in Poland had grown into a strong partnership with one of Europe's most recognizable football clubs. He added that the club and Panattoni shared common qualities, including ambition, an international outlook, strong local roots, and a focus on long-term relationships.
Borussia Dortmund management board chairman Carsten Cramer welcomed the renewed agreement. Cramer said Panattoni had been an engaged partner of Borussia for two years, with connections stretching back even further through its multi-year support for the Łukasz Piszczek BVB Academy in Poland. He noted that the club was delighted that Panattoni had chosen to extend cooperation for three more years and significantly increase its involvement to gain official partner status, reinforcing trust between the two organizations.
The ties between the developer and the German club trace back to 2018, when Panattoni began supporting the Dortmund youth academy in Goczałkowice-Zdrój, a town in southern Poland. In its announcement, Panattoni said the new contract marked the next stage in a relationship spanning far longer than the past two seasons, built on a shared commitment to football development, youth talent, and local communities.
Widzew Łódź coaching exchange
The corporate announcement follows a separate sporting alliance struck between Widzew Łódź and Borussia Dortmund in July of this year. That three-year agreement enables Widzew coaches to complete week-long placements in Dortmund to observe coaching methods, while young players from Łódź are able to experience daily life inside Dortmund's training academy.
The agreement between Widzew and the German club also encompasses marketing initiatives, joint business projects, and closer sporting links. Dobrzycki explained that the Polish club was establishing partnerships with organizations from which it could absorb knowledge and industry best practices.
Contrasting domestic league form
On the pitch, the two clubs connected to Dobrzycki are experiencing contrasting campaigns in their domestic leagues. Borussia Dortmund currently sits in second place in the Bundesliga with 18 points, having recently secured a 2-2 draw against rivals Bayern Munich.
Widzew Łódź is enduring a far more difficult season in the Polish Ekstraklasa. The club sits in 14th place with 11 points and has now gone more than two months without a victory in league competition.
