# Violence and discrimination in German amateur football

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/violence-and-discrimination-in-german-amateur-football
> Updated: 2026-09-11T09:01:00.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2.

German football referees have faced significant challenges due to rising verbal abuse and physical violence. During the 2024/25 season, violence was recorded in approximately 3,494 matches, or roughly one in every 400 games. In response to these risks and the ongoing need for officials, clubs have engaged in active recruitment and training efforts.

By the 2025/26 season, the German Football Association (DFB) reported a third consecutive year of decline in reported incidents of violence and discrimination in amateur football. Total reported incidents fell to 5,450. While violence occurred in 3,386 matches and discrimination incidents decreased, the DFB noted a slight rise in match abandonments, which increased from 825 to 842. Ronny Zimmermann, the DFB's first Vice President for Amateurs, stated that the rise in abandonments means there is “no reason to be satisfied with the current trend” and emphasized the necessity of intensified prevention efforts.

## Claims

- Reported violence or discrimination incidents in German amateur football have decreased for the third consecutive year. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Incidents accounted for 0.42 percent of the 1.284 million completed match reports. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The slight increase in match abandonments indicates that the positive trend in recent years should not lead to complacency. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The number of reported incidents fell from 5,566 in the previous season to 5,450 in the 2025/26 season. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The number of matches abandoned prematurely increased from 825 in the 2024/2025 season to 842 in the 2025/26 season. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Violence incidents were reported in 3,386 matches, representing 0.26 percent of all completed match reports. (single source)
- Discrimination incidents decreased from 2,398 to 2,315 matches. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-11: German amateur football reports decline in violence and discrimination incidents

The DFB reports a third consecutive year of declining violence and discrimination incidents in German amateur football, though match abandonments saw a slight increase to 842.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/german-amateur-football-reports-decline-in-violence-and-discrimination-incidents

### 2026-08-18: Football referees in Germany face rising violence and recruitment needs

German football faces rising referee violence, with incidents occurring in 1 in 400 matches, prompting clubs like 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam to recruit and train new officials.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/football-referees-in-germany-face-rising-violence-and-recruitment-needs

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Cite as: Violence and discrimination in German amateur football. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/violence-and-discrimination-in-german-amateur-football