Peter Knäbel - Biography
Peter Knäbel – President of the Swiss Football Association (SFV)
Peter Knäbel (born 1966) is a German-Swiss football official, former professional player and sought-after expert on sport, leadership and crisis management. He was the sports director of FC Schalke 04 from 2021 to the end of 2023. As an active player, he played over 200 games in the 1st and 2nd Bundesliga, became European U16 champion in 1984 and reached the DFB Cup final with VfL Bochum in 1988.
Peter Knäbel Lecture topics
- Football: Sport, politics & business of the most beautiful sport in the world
- Sport and business
- Talent management & leadership
- Crisis management
After his active career, Knäbel took on central functions in professional football: from 2003 he was Technical Director at FC Basel, then Technical Director of the Swiss Football Association until 2014. This was followed by managerial roles at Hamburger SV and a return to Switzerland as a consultant and TV pundit for Champions League, European Championship and World Cup matches.
From 2018, he shaped the youth development work at FC Schalke 04 as Director of the Knappenschmiede before being promoted to Chief Sports Officer in 2021. After relegation from the Bundesliga in 2021, he led the traditional club straight back to promotion. Peter Knäbel has been President of the Swiss Football Association since 2024 and contributes his extensive experience to the strategic development of Swiss football.
With his expertise, he combines sporting knowledge, economic thinking and leadership – on and off the pitch.
Peter Knäbel is available for interviews, keynotes and talks on sport, business and leadership.