diff --git a/backend/WorkClub.Api/Auth/ClubRoleClaimsTransformation.cs b/backend/WorkClub.Api/Auth/ClubRoleClaimsTransformation.cs
index 15516cd..ca88bcd 100644
--- a/backend/WorkClub.Api/Auth/ClubRoleClaimsTransformation.cs
+++ b/backend/WorkClub.Api/Auth/ClubRoleClaimsTransformation.cs
@@ -54,6 +54,14 @@ public class ClubRoleClaimsTransformation : IClaimsTransformation
             return Task.FromResult(principal);
         }
 
+        // --- NEW: Skip DB role lookup if user is a global admin ---
+        var realmAccess = principal.FindFirst("realm_access")?.Value;
+        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(realmAccess) && realmAccess.Contains("\"admin\"", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
+        {
+            return Task.FromResult(principal);
+        }
+        // ---------------------------------------------------------
+
         // Look up the user's role in the database for the requested tenant
         _httpContextAccessor.HttpContext!.Items["TenantId"] = tenantId;
         var memberRole = GetMemberRole(userIdClaim, tenantId);
diff --git a/backend/WorkClub.Api/Program.cs b/backend/WorkClub.Api/Program.cs
index d5838ac..9e85016 100644
--- a/backend/WorkClub.Api/Program.cs
+++ b/backend/WorkClub.Api/Program.cs
@@ -90,8 +90,8 @@ if (app.Environment.IsDevelopment())
 app.UseHttpsRedirection();
 
 app.UseAuthentication();
-app.UseMiddleware<TenantValidationMiddleware>();
 app.UseAuthorization();
+app.UseMiddleware<TenantValidationMiddleware>();
 app.UseMiddleware<MemberSyncMiddleware>();
 
 app.MapHealthChecks("/health/live", new Microsoft.AspNetCore.Diagnostics.HealthChecks.HealthCheckOptions
diff --git a/backend/WorkClub.Tests.Integration/Clubs/AdminClubEndpointsTests.cs b/backend/WorkClub.Tests.Integration/Clubs/AdminClubEndpointsTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7bc9cd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/WorkClub.Tests.Integration/Clubs/AdminClubEndpointsTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+using System.Net;
+using System.Net.Http.Json;
+using System.Security.Claims;
+using System.Text.Json;
+using WorkClub.Domain.Enums;
+using WorkClub.Application.Clubs.DTOs;
+using WorkClub.Tests.Integration.Infrastructure;
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace WorkClub.Tests.Integration.Clubs;
+
+public class AdminClubEndpointsTests : IntegrationTestBase
+{
+    public AdminClubEndpointsTests(CustomWebApplicationFactory<Program> factory) : base(factory)
+    {
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task CreateClub_WithAdminRole_ReturnsCreated()
+    {
+        AuthenticateAsAdmin();
+
+        var request = new CreateClubRequest("New Admin Club", SportType.Tennis, "Desc");
+        var response = await Client.PostAsJsonAsync("/api/admin/clubs", request);
+
+        Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.Created, response.StatusCode);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task CreateClub_WithoutAdminRole_ReturnsForbidden()
+    {
+        AuthenticateAsNonAdmin();
+
+        var request = new CreateClubRequest("New Club", SportType.Tennis, "Desc");
+        var response = await Client.PostAsJsonAsync("/api/admin/clubs", request);
+
+        Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.Forbidden, response.StatusCode);
+    }
+
+    private void AuthenticateAsAdmin()
+    {
+        Client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Remove("X-Test-Email");
+        Client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("X-Test-Email", "admin@workclub.com");
+        
+        Client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Remove("X-Test-Realm-Access");
+        Client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("X-Test-Realm-Access", "{\"roles\":[\"admin\"]}");
+    }
+
+    private void AuthenticateAsNonAdmin()
+    {
+        Client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Remove("X-Test-Email");
+        Client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("X-Test-Email", "user@workclub.com");
+        
+        Client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Remove("X-Test-Realm-Access");
+        Client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("X-Test-Realm-Access", "{\"roles\":[\"user\"]}");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/backend/WorkClub.Tests.Integration/Infrastructure/CustomWebApplicationFactory.cs b/backend/WorkClub.Tests.Integration/Infrastructure/CustomWebApplicationFactory.cs
index ecfe149..d64be22 100644
--- a/backend/WorkClub.Tests.Integration/Infrastructure/CustomWebApplicationFactory.cs
+++ b/backend/WorkClub.Tests.Integration/Infrastructure/CustomWebApplicationFactory.cs
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ public class CustomWebApplicationFactory<TProgram> : WebApplicationFactory<TProg
                     GRANT CONNECT ON DATABASE workclub_test TO rls_test_user;
                     GRANT SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE ON ALL TABLES IN SCHEMA public TO rls_test_user;
                     GRANT USAGE, SELECT ON ALL SEQUENCES IN SCHEMA public TO rls_test_user;
+                IF NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM pg_roles WHERE rolname = 'app_admin') THEN
+                    CREATE ROLE app_admin;
                 END IF;
                 END $$;
             ";
diff --git a/backend/WorkClub.Tests.Integration/Infrastructure/TestAuthHandler.cs b/backend/WorkClub.Tests.Integration/Infrastructure/TestAuthHandler.cs
index 938866a..7503e4b 100644
--- a/backend/WorkClub.Tests.Integration/Infrastructure/TestAuthHandler.cs
+++ b/backend/WorkClub.Tests.Integration/Infrastructure/TestAuthHandler.cs
@@ -30,9 +30,10 @@ public class TestAuthHandler : AuthenticationHandler<AuthenticationSchemeOptions
         var emailClaim = Context.Request.Headers["X-Test-Email"].ToString();
         var userIdClaim = Context.Request.Headers["X-Test-UserId"].ToString();
         var clubRolesJson = Context.Request.Headers["X-Test-ClubRoles"].ToString();
+        var realmAccessClaim = Context.Request.Headers["X-Test-Realm-Access"].ToString();
 
         // If no test auth headers are present, return NoResult (unauthenticated)
-        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(emailClaim) && string.IsNullOrEmpty(userIdClaim) && string.IsNullOrEmpty(clubsClaim))
+        if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(emailClaim) && string.IsNullOrEmpty(userIdClaim) && string.IsNullOrEmpty(clubsClaim) && string.IsNullOrEmpty(realmAccessClaim))
         {
             return Task.FromResult(AuthenticateResult.NoResult());
         }
@@ -46,6 +47,11 @@ public class TestAuthHandler : AuthenticationHandler<AuthenticationSchemeOptions
             new Claim(ClaimTypes.Email, resolvedEmail),
             new Claim("preferred_username", resolvedEmail),
         };
+        
+        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(realmAccessClaim))
+        {
+            claims.Add(new Claim("realm_access", realmAccessClaim, ClaimValueTypes.String));
+        }
 
         if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(clubsClaim))
         {
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index fdcee81..65afd21 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ services:
       - "5001:8080"
     extra_hosts:
       - "localhost:host-gateway"
+      - "127.0.0.1:host-gateway"
+      - "keycloak:host-gateway"
     working_dir: /app
     volumes:
       - ./backend:/app:cached