The team introduces itself
FCW is a cultural treasure for Winterthur: small, fine, loud, different, colourful. The club, which has also adopted a social charter, rightly describes itself as ‘the region’s largest youth home’. Certified as an official training centre of the Swiss Football Association (SFV), FCW supports and develops around 420 children and young people across more than 20 teams. A central pillar is dual training. Alongside sporting development, great importance is placed on academic or vocational education. A dedicated dual training coach supports the young people with matters such as apprenticeships, school and social life. To expand its catchment area, FCW works closely with partner clubs. Since January 2026, this network has been expanded to include five new clubs, including FC Bülach, FC Bassersdorf and FC Hinwil.
FC Winterthur’s youth academy is one of the most successful in the country and has produced a number of professionals who have made a name for themselves both nationally and internationally, such as Manuel Akanji, Remo Freuler, Steven Zuber, Fabian Frei and Admir Mehmedi.
The U19 squad is still relatively young, as until recently FCW had U18 and U21 teams with no age group in between. Among their achievements are qualifying for the play-offs, which the team has done for the past two years, and even finishing in 4th place last season.