Football belongs to the fans

German football fans are famous for how much they love their clubs. The slogan of Borussia Dortmund from the Ruhr region, for example, is “True Love” (“Echte Liebe” in German). Another example is the Band Domstürmer that sings about Cologne’s top team 1. FC Köln in one of its songs: “My love, my city, my team” (“Meine Liebe, meine Stadt, mein Verein” in German). When a woman who is a fan of Hamburger SV and a man who supports Werder Bremen got married in 2026, the couple had both club emblems of the two rivalling North German teams engraved in their wedding rings. Alongside this type of romantic notions, football has long been a billion euro business. However, in Germany’s professional sport there is a special rule, known as the 50+1 rule, that ensures that the influence of financial investors is limited and ensures that club members have the majority vote. What exactly is this rule about? 

What is the impact of the 50+1 rule in German professional football? 

International football is increasingly shaped by investors. The French Champions League winner Paris St. Germain, the English record holder FC Liverpool and the traditional Brazilian club Botafogo from Rio de Janeiro are just a few examples of how investors with major financial resources have been picking up large shares in football clubs around the world, allowing them to get involved in determining these clubs’ future. In Germany, any large-scale plans of potential investors are limited by the 50+1 rule. While many of the professional divisions of the first and second German football league were converted into stock corporations in recent years, the rule provides that at least 50 percent of votes plus one additional vote must remain with the parent organisation, and therefore with the club members. 

Is the 50+1 rule disputed in Germany? 

Limiting opportunities for investors also means that financial resources are limited. Germany’s football clubs are generally a lot less wealthy than the English Premier League teams, for instance, who welcome investors and are very successful in Europe. This is why there are quite a few people in Germany who would like to get rid of the 50+1 rule to boost the clubs’ financial strength. However, the Federal Cartel Office ruled in August 2026 that the financial restrictions are justifiable as they are in place to strengthen the role of club members.  

How do the fans feel about the 50+1 rule? 

Many fans are in favour of the 50+1 rule as it protects their clubs against external funders. They do not want for their teams to become toys for investors to play with, who do not have any affiliation with the traditional clubs. A financial investor’s plans to buy a share of a football club in early 2024 were thwarted by protests from the fan blocks: the fans threw tennis balls and chocolate coins and protested through silence. The campaign proved successful. The clubs in Germany’s Bundesliga may not be as wealthy as their glamorous counterparts in England. However, German football is famous around the world for the amazing atmosphere in the stadiums.