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Dispute over stadium security: fans defend themselves against new rules!
The Interior Ministers' Conference in Bremen will discuss security measures in football from December 3rd to 5th, 2025, while fans protest against restrictions.
Dispute over stadium security: fans defend themselves against new rules!
The discussion about security in German football stadiums has flared up again. The Conference of Interior Ministers (IMK) will meet in Bremen from December 3rd to 5th, 2025 to discuss possible measures. Lower Saxony is taking a leading role in this area and is bringing various proposals to the table. But the discussion is not without resistance. Many fans and football clubs criticize the planned measures to tighten security precautions.
On November 16th, around 8,000 fans from 38 clubs demonstrated in Leipzig against the tightening measures. These protests are now continuing through boycotting actions in the stadiums. Like the NDR reported, three main proposals are up for discussion: personalized tickets, AI-powered surveillance with facial recognition and a tightening of stadium bans. However, Bremen has signaled that personalized tickets and facial recognition are no longer up for debate.
The resistance of the fans
The objections raised by the active fan scene should not be underestimated. Fan researcher Harald Lange describes the proposals as a violation of the rule of law, while FC St. Pauli and other clubs are calling for fair procedures and criticism of blanket stadium bans. The clubs themselves are currently responsible for imposing these bans, which is further fueling the discussion.
In this context, the Interior Minister of Saxony raises the idea of maintaining stadium ban commissions within the clubs, but with uniform nationwide rules. This measure could provide more transparency and uniformity, but I'm not sure. The DFB and DFL also demand that stadium bans be based on concrete facts and warn against excessive collective punishments. Like the Stuttgarter Nachrichten report, Bremen's Interior Senator Ulrich Mäurer believes a dialogue with the fans is essential.
The numbers speak for themselves
As debate rages about safety measures, statistics show that the number of incidents in stadiums has fallen - despite increased attendance. The Central Information Center for Sports Operations reports that the number of injuries was reduced by 17% last season, even though the use of pyrotechnics increased by 73%. At the same time, some interior ministers, such as those from North Rhine-Westphalia, are considering the need for stricter security measures, especially after incidents at the Preußen Münster derby.
The internal political debate also raises concerns that police costs for so-called risky games could possibly be charged to the clubs in the future, which could further strain the relationship between security authorities and clubs. While the DFL and DFB advocate violence prevention and a transparent handling of violent incidents, the lack of agreement on how these goals will be achieved could lead to heated discussions in the conference.
Finally, Federal Minister of the Interior Alexander Dobrindt emphasized that it is essential that security measures are necessary for a positive stadium experience. The question remains how far we can go without criminalizing the fans. The coming days will show how the discussion develops and whether a consensus is in sight. The pressure on decision-makers is growing, not only from politicians, but also increasingly from the organized fan scene.