Manuel Baum will continue as head coach of Bundesliga side FC Augsburg, the club announced Wednesday evening. The 46-year-old has agreed to a contract extension through 2028, foregoing a return to his previous role as Director of Development with the club.
Baum initially took charge of Augsburg in early December and successfully guided the team from a relegation position to ninth place in the Bundesliga table. Originally, Baum had indicated his intention to serve only as an interim manager, reverting to his development director position at the end of the season. However, strong results, including a notable 2-1 victory against Bayern Munich in Munich, led to increased calls for him to remain as head coach beyond the summer.
FC Augsburg CEO Michael Ströll stated, “After our discussions revealed that Manuel was still available for the head coach position and wanted to take that step, it was clear to us that we wanted to make it happen.” Ströll highlighted Baum’s convincing performance across all areas during his time as interim manager, expressing the club’s delight at continuing their partnership.
Sporting Director Benni Weber echoed these sentiments, praising Baum’s successful turnaround of the team during a difficult period in the autumn of 2025. Weber also pointed to a strong second half of the season resulting in the third-best Bundesliga finish in Augsburg’s history. He expressed confidence that this current setup provides a strong foundation for a successful future.
Baum himself explained his change of heart, stating that he thoroughly enjoyed working with the team, staff, and coaching team over the past months. He expressed his desire to continue the progress they had made together, and is looking forward to the challenges ahead after the summer break.
Alongside Baum, his coaching staff of Alexander Frankenberger, Frank Fröhling, and Felix Kling will also remain with the club, as will Benedikt Brust as the team’s video analyst. Augsburg will begin the search for a replacement for the Director of Development and Innovation role “in due course.” Baum previously managed Augsburg between November and December 2015, and again from December 2016 to April 2019.
This extension solidifies Augsburg’s leadership for the foreseeable future and provides continuity as they aim to build on their recent success. The club will hope Baum can replicate his recent form and continue to move Augsburg forward in the Bundesliga.
