Bundesliga revolution
FC Bayern President calls for an end to the “50+1” rule
February 27, 2026 – 2:00 p.mReading time: 1 min.
Herbert Hainer calls for more freedom for club investors in Germany. His demand could change the competition in the Bundesliga.
Herbert Hainer, President of FC Bayern Munich, called for the abolition of the “50+1” rule in the Munich “Club Wirtschaftspresse” on Thursday evening. “I firmly believe that ’50 plus 1′ should be abolished and every club should decide for themselves,” he said. The Bavarian President sees the regulation as an obstacle for investors who fear for their influence.
Because: The rule prevents external investors from taking over the majority of the voting rights in German professional football clubs, which, according to Hainer, influences competition in the Bundesliga.
The Federal Cartel Office is currently examining the legality of exceptions to this rule, such as those at Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg. Hainer expects that the cartel office’s decision could bring new impetus to the discussion. “Depending on how the cartel office decides, dynamics can come back,” he said.
Despite his criticism of the regulation, Hainer emphasized that FC Bayern wanted to keep the majority of its shares. The club plans to retain at least 70 percent of FC Bayern München AG, while Adidas, Allianz and Audi each own 8.33 percent of the shares.
Compared to the English Premier League, Hainer sees the Bundesliga at a disadvantage, especially in terms of television revenue and foreign marketing. “The Bundesliga has to become more attractive,” he demanded.
