The Bundesliga is targeting the first half of 2027 for final proposals on a uniform application of the 50+1 rule, after Germany’s Federal Cartel Office confirmed the principle can remain in place.
Key takeaways
- The competition authority found 50+1 permissible if it is applied consistently without unjustified distinctions.
- Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg remain the recognised exemption clubs.
- RB Leipzig and Hannover 96 are also treated as special cases within the present framework.
- All 36 Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga clubs discussed the issue in a league meeting on Monday.
- Clubs are due to reaffirm 50+1 as a core principle of German professional football at December’s members’ assembly.
A longer route to legal certainty
The Bundesliga e.V. board considered the Cartel Office’s final assessment during a retreat last week. The authority had published its view in mid-August, backing the rule under which clubs must retain a voting majority over investors.
The board now wants a jointly supported settlement with the clubs affected by exemptions and special arrangements. Final recommendations on how the rule should be structured and enforced across the league are expected in the first six months of 2027.
The league warned against forcing through a rapid vote. It said shortened and hasty decisions at league level could weaken, rather than improve, the rule’s legal protection.
The aim is to avoid further internal court disputes over 50+1 in the coming years. The board believes a broadly accepted agreement offers the best prospect of preventing prolonged litigation and securing the regulation for the long term.
December vote and fan pressure
The December members’ meeting is set to seek confirmation from the clubs that 50+1 remains a central foundation of German professional football. The move is intended to give the league’s basic direction broad backing, given the issue’s strategic and sporting-political weight.
Supporters want the process to move faster. The fan alliance Unsere Kurve called after the Cartel Office’s decision for a swift solution in favour of clubs and locations already complying with the rule.
