German football clubs face rising police costs for high-risk matches

German football clubs are facing potential financial burdens due to new regulations regarding police costs for high-risk matches. In Saarland, a proposed change to police law would allow authorities to charge fees for additional police presence at commercial events with more than 5,000 participants if violence is anticipated. 1. FC Saarbrücken has warned that these costs, which could reach six figures, would divert essential funds away from the professional squad, youth development, infrastructure, and personnel.

On a national level, a decision by the DFB (German Football Association) indicates that the association intends to pass on any fee notices it receives to the respective home clubs. This poses a significant risk to clubs in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), a region with a high density of matches and frequent derbies. The State Audit Office estimated that police personnel costs for matches in the top three leagues in NRW could reach approximately 29.8 million euros for the 2024/25 period, with 7.9 million euros attributed specifically to high-risk matches.