Visit Tampa Bay Partners with German Soccer Club FC St. Pauli

Visit Tampa Bay and German soccer club FC St. Pauli have announced a partnership that will include media opportunities and Visit Tampa Bay activations at Millerntor Stadium in Hamburg.

The two-year deal starts this summer as St. Pauli won the 2. Bundesliga League championship earlier this year and was promoted to the Bundesliga for the 2024–2025 season, its first taste of top-tier German soccer since 2002.

“The culture surrounding St. Pauli FC reflects Tampa Bay’s high energy, spirit and fun,” said Santiago Corrada, president and chief executive officer of Visit Tampa Bay. “And, like Tampa Bay’s own Gasparilla pirate heritage, St. Pauli’s skull-and-crossbones team flag equally embodies the spirit of swashbuckling rebellion. With our growing connections in Germany, this partnership provides even more opportunities to share our collective commitments to inclusion and acceptance on a global platform.”

Visit Tampa Bay also has an agreement with Brentford F.C. in the English Premier League. The destination partners with all Tampa Bay-based sports franchises, including the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Tampa Bay Rays and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Germany is a leading international market for visitors to Tampa Bay and the daily Discover Airlines flights from Frankfurt will allow Tampa Bay to directly connect with FC St. Pauli’s global following.

“We are thrilled to have Visit Tampa Bay as a partner on our side,” said Wilken Engelbracht, commercial director of FC St. Pauli. “This partnership opens up new opportunities for us to strengthen our international relationships and share the values that define our club around the world. We look forward to a successful collaboration and many joint projects.”