August 1 – Club Sporting Directors have become central to how clubs operate year-round, increasingly seen as the cornerstone of a club’s football department. An analysis of the sporting director’s role by Football Benchmark finds the jobs are generally held by former players whose careers are often as short as their careers as players with an average of 2.6 year in post.
The Football Benchmark research focuses on the Big Five European leagues as of July 2025. Among the 88 Sporting Directors currently in post, it looks at who holds these roles, whether they played professionally, were promoted internally, or work in their home country.
The researchers define a ‘Sporting Director’ as the most senior-most dedicated to football matters.
They find that two-thirds of them have a professional playing background with Ligue1 leading the way with 14 out of 18 beiong former players.
“The rationale is straightforward,” says the report. “Former professionals often bring credibility, respect with stakeholders, an understanding of the player environment, and networks across the game…
“In both the Bundesliga and Ligue 1, 6 Sporting Directors previously played for the club they now work for. These profiles can reinforce club identity and encourage supporter buy-in.”
In contrast the Premier League takes less than half of its Sporting Directors from a professional playing background.
About 30% of Sporting Directors were promoted internally, often rising through a variety of roles, commonly including chief scout or academy manager.
In La Liga, internal promotions account for the largest share of appointments, and particularly in clubs with a strong commitment to youth talent development, such as Valencia CF, Athletic Club, Real Sociedad, and Villarreal CF, say the report authors. The Premier League shows a clear preference for external hires
In terms of time in post, the average Sporting Director lasts just 2.6 years. In La Liga leads the average is 3.7 years, while the Premier League sits at the lowest, with an average of 1.8 years.
“Sporting Directors are responsible for building sustainable frameworks across both first teams and academies, while also protecting the club’s overall sporting vision from the volatility of short-term results. Yet with limited time in the role, many find themselves having to prioritise immediate impact over longer-term planning. The real challenge lies not just in defining a clear strategy, but in securing lasting support for it, both internally and externally,” says the report.
Serie A is the most domestically focused, with 18 Sporting Directors being Italian while the Premier League shows the most international outlook. Only 7 English Sporting Directors are in place across six Premier League clubs, with Chelsea FC employing Co-Sporting Directors.
Italian nationals account for 23% of all Sporting Directors across the Big 5 leagues. The average age of Sporting Directors is 48.6.
The report says that a clear definition of a sporting director role is one that is in flux.
The influence of a sport director “stretches from the volatility of the transfer market to the long-term architecture of a club’s sporting model. But as the scope expands, so too does the need for a clear mandate and strong alignment with ownership vision.
“This raises a critical question: is it realistic to expect a single individual to meet all these demands?”
In conclusion the report says: “While clear trends are emerging — toward strategic alignment, governance innovation, and expanded expectations — there is no universal model. The most effective Sporting Director structure ultimately depends on the club’s ownership profile, governance model, strategic ambition, and operating context. A club with a hands-on owner, a multi-club network, or deep community roots may require a different leadership setup than one focused purely on performance and trading.”
To see the full report click here.
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