German Regionalliga protests over promotion rules and new match schedule

At the start of the Regionalliga Nordost season in Luckenwalde, fans of 1. FC Lok Leipzig threw small trophies onto the pitch to protest the German Football Association's (DFB) still‑unreformed promotion system to the 3. Liga. The clubs argue that the current "Kompassmodel" limits chances for advancement, with only four of five regional champions earning direct promotion and the fifth needing a play‑off. Regional officials, including NOFV representative Mario Dörfler, and Erfurt coach Fabian Gerber called for a unified solution and warned against delaying reform.

Meanwhile, the Regionalliga Südwest released the exact dates and times for matchdays 4 through 10 of the 2026/27 season. FC 08 Homburg's upcoming fixtures were listed, including home games against the Stuttgart Kickers, KSV Hessen Kassel and others, with kick‑offs set for 14:00 or 19:00 at the Waldstadion.

Both developments highlight ongoing discussions about competition structure and the practical scheduling of Germany's fourth‑tier football leagues.