The week-long protest by the active fan scenes is having an effect: at the Interior Ministers’ Conference starting on Wednesday in Bremen, some of the planned measures will not be taken, as the Sportschau learned.
“We must maintain moderation in all measures” said Bremen’s Interior Senator Ulrich Mäurer (SPD) at the Sportschau’s request. The federal state of Bremen currently chairs the Conference of Interior Ministers. “Not every idea that is on the table makes sense and is proportionate. Security in the stadium is important. But we cannot put all fans under general suspicion just because a few cause trouble.”
There was a discussion with the DFB and DFL as well as other representatives of the interior ministries “Dialogue instead of confrontation” agreed. Fans have been protesting in stadiums against the proposed measures for weeks. The protests by many fan groups are based primarily on one argument: security in German stadiums has long been very high.
There was also criticism that hardly anything was known publicly about the negotiations. Mäurer shared: “Dialogue and transparency – that’s what we’re focusing on now. Dialogue with the fans is important to me. I take your concerns seriously.” According to information from Sportschau, the DFB and DFL described the interim status of the negotiations to the clubs in a presentation in October. This led to controversial suggestions such as personalized tickets or a stricter approach to stadium bans.
Bremen’s Interior Senator Ulrich Mäurer (SPD)
Personalized Tickets and Facial recognition “are off the table”
Mäurer cleared up one point of contention. “Personalized tickets and comprehensive ID checks – that’s not on the agenda. The issue of ticketing is off the table. Because no one will give up standing room. And with standing room where everyone can move freely, the topic makes no sense.” Fans had criticized the measure as a general suspicion, while associations and clubs feared the necessary controls would require a lot of effort and opposed the measure.
The topic of facial recognition and AI surveillance is also not on the agenda, says Mäurer. “That was important to hear for many people. Facial recognition in the stadium – we’re not pursuing that any further. We’ve agreed on that.”
Stadium bans – accusations must be “substantially explained” in the future
However, the higher-level stadium ban commission at the DFB, as demanded by politicians, should move forward. At the same time, in contrast to the first proposal, the local commissions should be retained and initially remain responsible. With the new principle, the higher-level body could intervene if it finds that the clubs are not acting satisfactorily. In addition, uniform requirements should apply nationwide.
In cases of conflict, both the police and the club could call the new commission in the future, said Mäurer. “The federal commission ensures uniform standards. But the decisions continue to be made by the local commissions.”
Fan alliances should pay attention to Mäurer’s words about stadium bans: “Simply initiating an investigation will no longer be enough in the future. The specific accusation must be substantiated and the proceedings must be conducted quickly. There must be no automatism. It’s not about issuing more stadium bans, but about more legal certainty on both sides.”
Fan alliances have been criticizing for years that stadium bans can be imposed without proven guilt. Technically they are not a punishment, but rather a preventative measure to prevent wrongdoing. In practice, however, many fans experience it as a sanction.
The topic of pyrotechnics is not on the agenda
According to Mäurer, the controversial topic of pyrotechnics is not up for debate. He clarified: “Pyrotechnics do not belong in the stadium. That remains my clear stance. But this topic will be further discussed in the relevant working group and, if necessary, dealt with at the next interior ministers’ conference in June.”
In the discussion with the associations, the authorities generally expected one “Zero tolerance strategy” and corresponding measures. For many fans, pyrotechnics are an inseparable part of a lively fan culture – politicians, the police and associations repeatedly point out the dangers of burning things down, which is therefore forbidden. Compromises for controlled burning have not been achieved in the past.
Mäurer: “Figures show: violence is declining”
Referring to the 2024/25 annual report from the police’s “Central Information Center for Sports Operations” (ZIS), Mäurer stated: “The numbers show: Violence in the stadiums is decreasing. Over 17 percent fewer injuries – that’s a good development.” According to the report, in the 2024/25 season, 1,107 people were injured in the top three leagues with more than 25 million fans in the stadiums, or around 0.004 percent. The numbers are therefore declining. Mäurer noted that the burden on the police remains high.
The organized fan toes took this uprising into a protest weeks ago and put it on posters with a view to the upcoming Interior Ministers’ Conference: “IMK 25: Your own statistics show: The stadiums are safe. Stop populism!” There was a big fan demo in Leipzig, and many fans were symbolically silent for twelve minutes in the last few weeks. The DFB and DFL also repeatedly emphasize that visiting the stadium is safe.
Nevertheless, there was some opposition from politicians: North Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) emphasized that 1,000 injuries were still unacceptable and that there was a need for action. Reul said on WDR: “That’s why something has to finally happen now, because the clubs have not yet adequately fulfilled their responsibilities.” The ZIS annual report also mentions that some conflicts moved to places outside the stadiums, for example at train stations.
North Rhine-Westphalia’s Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU)
Bavaria’s Interior Minister criticized “Ghost Discussion”
The Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU), who had called for quick courts for fans in the stadiums and ghost games as punishments in 2024, recently spoke of a “ghost discussion” in view of the fan protests. Herrmann said: “Supposedly planned measures are being criticized and fears are being stirred up, which are not even up for debate at the upcoming Interior Ministers’ Conference in Bremen.” He thinks it is irresponsible to spread panic among fans and the safety debate with false claims “to poison with unsubstantiated allegations”.
Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU)
The umbrella organization of fan aids reacted to this. “The Bavarian Interior Minister criticizes a debate for which he himself has been partly responsible for more than a year due to the massive lack of transparency in the IMK”said association spokesman Oliver Wiebe, according to a statement. “All documents remain under lock and key to this day.” Fan aid supports, among other things, legal advice for fans who get into conflict with the police or the judiciary.
Oliver Wiebe from the umbrella organization of fan aids
In 2024, a “federal-state open working group” (BLoAG) was founded with representatives from politics, the DFL, the DFB and the fan project coordination office. There is criticism of the work: For example, there is already a structure for safety issues in the form of the National Committee for Sport and Safety. The Federal Working Group of Fan Projects spoke of one “Parallel structure”. Like Mäurer, Saxony’s Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) is currently holding out the prospect of a dialogue with fans. “That is one of our next goals”said Schuster on MDR more than a year after the discussion began.
The interior ministries continue to have decisive leverage over the associations in the discussion. Since a ruling by the Federal Constitutional Court, the states have been able to send invoices to the clubs for additional police costs for high-security games. The associations fear this and political intervention in terms of ticket quotas, ghost games or personalized tickets. DFB President Bernd Neuendorf emphasized that official steps and forced measures could come when organizing the games, “if we are not prepared to take a step”.