DFB to Shift Policing Costs to Home Clubs Amid High-Risk Matches

The German Football Association (DFB) will pass on increased policing costs for high-risk matches to home clubs, consistent with a court ruling that clubs must pay for safety measures. Although the DFB disagrees with this fee-based approach, it advocates for a cooperative effort to enhance stadium security.

The German Football Association (DFB) has announced plans to transfer the burden of extra policing costs for high-risk matches to home clubs. The move follows a Federal Constitutional Court decision that clubs must bear costs for ensuring fan safety at matches.

In a statement, DFB President Bernd Neuendorf communicated that while the association remains opposed to charging clubs for police services, it will comply by passing on such costs when billed. Neuendorf stressed that the fee-based system does not effectively improve security or efficiency at events.

The call for collaboration among policymakers, police, associations, and clubs is emphasized as a preferred strategy over a fee-based approach. This dispute originated from a 2014 law in Bremen requiring clubs to share these costs, recently upheld by the courts.