In July 2019, as part of this strategic partnership, the Pula Arena transformed into a football field for the first and only time in history. It hosted a spectacular exhibition match featuring the illustrious legends of FC Bayern Munich and the legendary Vatreni, Croatia's celebrated national team from 1998.

The collaboration between the Istria Tourist Board and the FC Bayern Munich is one of the key promotional initiatives for Istria. This strategic partnership began in 2018 and includes various marketing activities primarily aimed at the German, Austrian, and Swiss markets.

The German football club Bayern from Munich is one of the most renowned global sports brands and undeniably one of the most successful and prestigious football clubs in the world, with a history filled with incredible achievements on both the national and international stage.

In their home at the Allianz Arena, one of the world's most modern and impressive stadiums, Bayern Munich guards an incredible treasure trove. It holds 32 trophies from conquering the German national championship, the Bundesliga, 20 trophies from claiming victory in the DFB-Pokal, the premier competition after the Bundesliga, and ten DFL-Supercup trophies, awarded to the champions of the match between the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal winners.

On the international stage, FC Bayern Munich has won the Champions League, the most prestigious European club competition, six times, most recently in 2020. The club's treasure trove also includes two Intercontinental Cups and two FIFA Club World Cups, and it cherishes the memory of its legendary players. Alongside Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, and Lothar Matthäus, many other sports heroes who have left an indelible mark on the history of German and world football have contributed to Bayern's greatness. 

Fantastic players, legendary matches, and spectacular duels have earned Bayern immense prestige and an army of fans in Germany and worldwide. The strategic partnership between this football giant and Istria represents a significant step in promoting the destination. It enables the Istria Tourist Board to leverage the popularity and reputation of one of the world's most famous football clubs, attracting new visitors and enhancing the destination's visibility in key target markets. 

Bayern's promotional channels have a vast reach, with statistics revealing that their website and mobile app attract 5.6 million visits per month, while their newsletter is opened by 42 percent of the 650,000 subscribers. The German club is also an unrivalled 'influencer' in today's social media world, amassing an incredible 126 million fans across their profiles!

Clash of legends in Pula Arena
In July 2019, as part of this strategic partnership, the historic Pula Arena transformed into a football field for the first and only time. It hosted a spectacular exhibition match featuring the legends of FC Bayern Munich and the Vatreni, Croatia's legendary national team from 1998 that claimed third place in the World Cup in France.

Giovane Elber, Paulo Sergio, Klaus Augenthaler, Ivica Olić, Stipe Pletikosa, Robert Jarni, Dario Šimić, and Davor Vugrinec are just some of the names familiar to all football fans who played that summer evening in the Arena. They drew public attention to a fantastic sporting event and the strategic partnership, thanks to which images of gorgeous Istria and Croatia travelled to Germany and the world.