Federal Cartel Office: 50+1 rule remains, but Leverkusen and Wolfsburg are worried!

Federal Cartel Office: 50+1 rule remains, but Leverkusen and Wolfsburg are worried!

In a recent communication to the German Football League (DFL), the Federal Cartel Office made it clear that the 50+1 rule remains in place, but adjustments are necessary. This decision was published on June 16, 2025. At the same time, the President of the Federal Cartel Office, Andreas Mundt, called for exceptions to be waived for individual clubs, in particular Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg. This makes it clear that a reform of the rule is necessary in order to create equal competitive conditions for all clubs in the Bundesliga and 2nd Bundesliga, since in these two cases the parent club lacks a dominant influence on the professional departments. This situation represents a deviation from the principles of the 50+1 rule, which states that the majority of voting shares must always belong to the parent club.

The DFL is now called upon to ensure that all clubs have open access to membership. There are also concerns about membership at RB Leipzig and the votes surrounding Martin Kind at Hannover 96. The Federal Cartel Office is also demanding that the DFL take the ratings of the 50+1 rule into account in its own votes.

Adjustments and transition periods

Although the DFL has been asked to implement the recommendations of the Federal Cartel Office, immediate implementation is not mandatory. A longer transition period may be justified. This gives the affected clubs the opportunity to adapt to the new circumstances. However, VfL Wolfsburg and Bayer 04 Leverkusen have already announced that they will not accept the Federal Cartel Office's opinion and reserve legal options. RB Leipzig, on the other hand, demands consistent application of the rule for all 36 clubs.

The fan alliance “Fan Scenes in Germany” criticizes the DFL and calls for the 50+1 rule to be clearly applied in order to protect the interests of the fans. This regulation, which aims to limit the influence of investors and external capital providers, is now up for debate again. The focus is on the DFL's reaction and the next steps to guarantee the integrity of competition in German football.

The current discussion about the 50+1 rule was also triggered by a ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) at the end of 2023, which raises new questions. The review of this rule by the Federal Cartel Office was initiated in 2018 at the request of the DFL, but the desired compromise between the DFL and the affected clubs has not yet been implemented, although it was already approved by the Federal Cartel Office in 2021.

For a detailed evaluation of the current developments regarding the 50+1 rule, read more at Sports show and Mirror.