Bundesliga 50+1 ownership rule reform

The Bundesliga is working to establish a legally secure framework for the 50+1 ownership rule, which requires clubs to maintain majority voting rights for their members. This follows an August decision by Germany’s Federal Cartel Office that found the rule generally compatible with competition law, provided it is applied consistently.

A central issue involves clubs with historical exemptions, specifically Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg, which are owned by Bayer AG and Volkswagen. The league has outlined a roadmap for reform, including a membership assembly in December to reaffirm the rule and the expectation of final proposals for a unified application model in the first half of 2027.

Internal pressure has mounted as the Nordkurve12 supporters association of Bayer Leverkusen has called for the club to relinquish its exemption. The group is demanding that Bayer AG embrace fan participation and transparency. Simultaneously, the Fanszenen Deutschlands alliance is pressuring the league to eliminate all existing exemptions and implement the Federal Cartel Office recommendations.