Football is our business ...
... and passion
The emotions that football provokes are the greatest motivator but, as experience has taught us, not always the best advisor. That is why we act first and foremost in the interest of the sustainable sporting and economic success of our clubs—and only secondarily as football fans.
Since 2019, Core Sports Capital has invested in and supported football clubs in France, Austria and Switzerland. Our alliance included Clermont Foot 63, SC Austria Lustenau and FC Biel-Bienne 1896, where we contributed strategic, operational and sporting expertise.
These successful partnerships delivered significant sporting achievements, including Clermont Foot 63’s historic promotion to Ligue 1, SC Austria Lustenau’s return to the Austrian Bundesliga and FC Biel-Bienne 1896’s run to the Swiss Cup final.
Having concluded these investment cycles in 2026, we continue to explore new opportunities where our experience, network and hands-on approach can contribute to sustainable value creation in football.
Meet the Team
Our passion for the game drives the core of our business.
Ahmet Schaefer
Founder & CEO
Ahmet began his professional career with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) as an associate in the office of the FIFA President. In 2011, Ahmet worked with the global sports media and marketing agency MP & Silva. As Vice President of Acquisitions and Strategic Partnerships, Ahmet led the implementation of the international acquisition strategy and the exploitation of high-level sports rights. In 2015, Ahmet led a significant project by co-creating the AGCFF (Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation), bringing together the eight football federations in the Persian Gulf.
Yannick Flavien
Business Development & Strategy Lead
Yannick is a seasoned entrepreneur who founded and expanded Luxembourg’s first mortgage brokerage into a cross-border network. At Clermont Foot 63, he is responsible for driving business development, while at the Core Sports Capital holding level he facilitates the strategic alignment and coordination of the group’s three clubs.
Ingo Winter
Managing Director Football
Ingo began his career in 2004 as Scouting Coordinator and Assistant Sporting Director at Hannover 96, holding the position for three years. In 2007 he joined four times champion 1. FC Kaiserslautern as the club’s Chief Scout. He became Head of Recruitment and Match Analysis for FC Carl Zeiss Jena. In August 2010, he signed a contract with Swiss club BSC Young Boys as their global Transfer Manager and Scouting Coordinator. In this position, he was responsible for building a worldwide scouting network and setting up an efficient reporting system. Furthermore, he has been a scouting and transfer consultant for various clubs. In addition to his scouting engagements, Ingo was a freelancer for several German newspapers.
Joel Haefliger
Operations & Business Development
Operations & Business Development in the different clubs and businesses.
