The Challenge: Advancing Digital Sovereignty and Security in Professional Football

VfB Stuttgart is one of Germany’s leading football clubs – a brand with a deep sense of tradition. Under CEO Alexander Wehrle, the club has strategically focused on growth through technology, data, and modern infrastructure. Wehrle’s goal is to combine performance on the pitch with excellence behind the scenes.

Innovation is now part of the club’s core identity. VfB Stuttgart applies artificial intelligence and advanced cloud systems to improve operations and secure its information. As Alexander Wehrle said, “With the creation of a strong digital infrastructure, we now have the flexibility and efficiency to drive forward holistic digitalization at VfB – not as an end in itself, but as the key to decisively developing top-class sport, the stadium experience, fan services and internal processes.”

The team’s leadership required a reliable way to manage data and ensure complete control of its digital environment. The club defined clear priorities: transparency, scalability, and complete independence from external control. It sought a solution that aligned with European data protection regulations and reflected the club’s preference for trusted, regionally based partners that support data sovereignty, a focus directly shared by XM Cyber.

The Solution: A Foundation for Secure, Independent Growth

VfB Stuttgart selected XM Cyber to strengthen visibility across its IT environment and ensure data sovereignty. The XM Cyber platform runs on STACKIT’s secure European cloud infrastructure and provides the club with a clear, continuous, and fully compliant view of risk across every system in use. The XM Cyber platform pinpoints exposures and priorities with precision, allowing the IT team to concentrate on what matters most. Deployment was fast and stable, with no impact on the club’s daily operations.

The combination of XM Cyber and STACKIT provided the club with an especially strong foundation for digital independence. The IT team now works with full transparency across all systems and relies on a stable, scalable infrastructure that prepares the club for ongoing digital growth. As Alexander Wehrle notes, “Together with sovereign hosting via STACKIT, this creates a digital infrastructure that is not only secure, but also scalable and future-proof.”

Benefits and Outcomes: Visibility, Prevention, and Confidence

XM Cyber gives VfB Stuttgart the ability to find and address weaknesses before they become problems. The team now works with full visibility across its environment and can act early to keep systems protected. XM Cyber provides the IT team with a transparent overview of their security posture, complete with specific recommendations and remediations. This capability allows the department to identify potential exposures early and react proactively. As Alexander Wehrle notes, it’s like modern injury prevention in professional football: “Those who recognize risks in good time and take targeted countermeasures remain competitive in the long term.”

Security has become an even greater part of the club’s culture. The leadership views it as a strategic function that supports business stability and operational strength. Together, XM Cyber and STACKIT keep data, applications, and infrastructure protected under European standards. The result is a secure and transparent digital foundation that supports the organization’s future.

Recommendation and Outlook: A Model for Secure Digital Transformation

XM Cyber provides the insight and control that allow VfB Stuttgart to move forward with confidence. “We can make informed decisions because we can identify potential security risks at an early stage and take targeted countermeasures,” says Alexander Wehrle. The club continues to expand its digital capabilities with a focus on transparency and trust. The partnership with XM Cyber shows how professional sports organizations can achieve both independence and innovation through secure and reliable infrastructure.