Bundesliga under pressure: DFL must finally implement the 50+1 rule!

Bundesliga under pressure: DFL must finally implement the 50+1 rule!

Today, September 2, 2025, the DFL general meeting will take place in Berlin. At this meeting, the focus will be on the big names in German football, including Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern Munich, SC Freiburg and Bayer Leverkusen. But what about traditional clubs like Werder Bremen and Borussia Mönchengladbach? They increasingly have to deal with the dominance of English clubs such as Leeds and West Ham United. Loud fr.de It becomes clear that the Premier League is much better positioned in international competition.

The Bundesliga could certainly integrate the rare summer tournaments in the USA that are organized by the Premier League, but so far there are no plans to do so. Media revenue in the Bundesliga is also significantly lower and unequally distributed, with the Premier League performing four times higher. Another hotly debated topic is the future of the 50+1 rule, which according to... Federal Cartel Office is critically examined.

The 50+1 rule in focus

The Federal Cartel Office has informed the DFL that there are no fundamental concerns with the 50+1 rule as long as the club's character and member participation are maintained. This rule states that the majority of voting shares in outsourced professional departments must belong to the parent club. Pressure is growing on the DFL to ensure that this rule is consistently applied. A recent statement emphasized that the clubs are busy taking measures to ensure the legally secure application of the rule.

The problem is compounded by the fact that there are exceptions to this rule for clubs like Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg. These “work associations” are increasingly exposed to the influence of corporations, which increasingly dictate the fate of the associations. In the run-up to the upcoming DFL committee elections, the fan scenes have sent a clear signal: They are demanding uniform and strict implementation of the 50+1 rule, which was supported with protests and banners in the stadiums. “DFL & clubs: We have you in mind – implement 50+1 without exception” was one of the clear messages from the stadiums, reported Sports show.

Uniform conditions of competition required

The DFL must not only respond to the wishes of the fans, but also carefully follow the recommendations of the Federal Cartel Office. One point, for example, is the creation of uniform competitive conditions for all clubs in the Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga. It should be noted that membership should be open to fans and that the 50+1 rule must also be observed by the DFL in future votes. The Federal Cartel Office has criticized the DFL's particularly inadequate licensing practices, as not all clubs offer their fans access to membership.

It remains to be seen whether the DFL can implement the necessary changes. What is certain, however, is that the league is under pressure to take a clear line and not fall further behind in international comparison. The fan culture and members' opinions have grown significantly, and it will be exciting to see how the situation surrounding the 50+1 rule and the conditions of competition will develop.