Club revolution threatens: DFL must change 50+1 rule for Bayer and Wolfsburg!
Club revolution threatens: DFL must change 50+1 rule for Bayer and Wolfsburg!
Wolfsburg, Deutschland - Today, on June 17, 2025, the debate about the 50+1 rule applicable in German football causes a sensation. The Bundeskartellamt has just published a preliminary evaluation that could have profound consequences for Bundesliga clubs such as Bayer Leverkusen, which VfL Wolfsburg and RB Leipzig. In a clear statement, the 50+1 rule is classified as permissible under antitrust law, but the demands of the cartel office are not of cardboard. Under the pressure of criticism and the current competitive situation, the cartel office demands comprehensive improvements.
Protection of the club culture
The 50+1 rule should ensure the cultural characteristics of the clubs and the participation of the members in football. The Federal Cartel Office sees this as a legitimate reason to deviate from anti -antitrust law. Nevertheless, there are clear recommendations for adaptation. The authority demands the abolition of the exceptions for Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg. These two clubs have received support from their sponsors for over two decades, which in principle questions fairness in the competition. As ran.de do not react to the recommendations.
The core of the demands of the cartel office is the ensuring of uniform competitive conditions for all clubs in the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga. Clubs such as RB Leipzig, who operated in the past with only 23 voting persons, have to face a strict monitoring of the coordination processes. It seems that the DFL (German Football League) has to implement the required improvements in the near future in order to prevent legal disputes. This could result in higher pressure on the rules in the long term.
The antitrust office has also criticized that the licensing practice of the DFL is not sufficient. In particular, it is criticized that not all member associations offer fans the opportunity to participate in membership. In the event of a vote on investor participations in December 2023, the rule was not consistently implemented, and the DFL did not check a instruction that came from Hannover 96.
critical voices from the league
Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg have already announced that they want to legally check the recommendations of the cartel office. While Bayer Leverkusen's representative remains rather skeptical, RB Leipzig's management manifests itself cautiously and demands clear, uniform rules. So the topic is hotly debated; Martin Kind from Hannover 96 also criticizes the long test duration of the cartel office and ensures additional explosiveness.
an outlook on the future
The likelihood that the 50+1 rule will be fully tilted is low because it is considered compatible with EU law. But the DFL must take clear measures promptly in order to reduce the pressure. Current ECJ judgments that could influence the legal environment were also included in the evaluation. It remains to be seen how the recommendations will affect the clubs, their development opportunities and competition in the highest German division.
In summary, it can be said that the 50+1 rule continues to exist but can be subjected to intensive changes. The coming months will show how the DFL reacts to the pressure and whether the clubs manage to enforce their interests in the context of this complex discussion.| Details | |
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| Ort | Wolfsburg, Deutschland |
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