German Regionalliga reform stalls as clubs reject unified plan

The German Football Association’s attempt to overhaul the Regionalliga promotion system has failed to secure a consensus among clubs. Schalke 04, together with around 60 other teams, backed the “Meister müssen aufsteigen” (champions must be promoted) initiative, which seeks automatic promotion for all five regional league winners into the 3. Liga. Schalke sports director Frank Baumann said, “We firmly believe that sporting success should be rewarded with deserved promotion.”

A voting process involving the five regional groups produced mixed results: the “Kompass” model obtained 50.9 % overall support, but southern clubs favored a different “Regionen” model, while western, northern, and northeastern clubs leaned toward the Kompass option. Because unanimity was required for implementation, the reform could not be adopted and will not take effect for the 2028/29 season, delaying the proposed reduction from five to four tiers.

The outcome leaves many clubs dissatisfied, citing concerns over competitive integrity and financial stability, and signals another round of negotiations for a unified promotion structure.