German Football Fans and Clubs Unite Against Proposed Stricter Stadium Security Measures Ahead of Interior Ministers Conference

In the run-up to the 2025 Interior Ministers Conference in Bremen, football clubs and fan groups across Germany have notably aligned in their opposition to heightened stadium security proposals. This marks a significant shift from tensions seen 18 months ago, reflecting growing unity between clubs and fans regarding the realistic assessment of stadium safety.

Representatives from all Bavarian first and second division clubs recently convened in Augsburg, and a joint statement from five professional Baden-Württemberg clubs—including VfB Stuttgart, SC Freiburg, and TSG Hoffenheim—urged for rational debate and cautioned against broad stadium bans. These clubs highlighted police statistics showing a decline in violent incidents during the 2024/2025 season, suggesting that the perceived need for increased restrictions is misaligned with the actual safety environment.

Fan representatives, such as Thomas Kessen from the "Unsere Kurve" alliance, criticize political discourse as populist and exaggerated. They point to safer football atmospheres and have initiated a petition aiming for 100,000 signatures opposing what they view as misdirected rhetoric. Likewise, clubs like 1. FC Nürnberg regard proposed measures, particularly personalized ticketing and tightened stadium bans, as excessive and counterproductive, given that most violent incidents occur outside the stadium and on non-match days.

Notably, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann has announced that personalized tickets will not be discussed at the conference, indicating a possible softening in political stance. Nonetheless, debates continue around tightening stadium ban regulations. Successful initiatives such as Stadionallianzen, which foster cooperation between police and fan communities, have been recognized for improving safety but remain underacknowledged in current political discussions.

This emerging collaboration underscores a shared call for dialogue, greater transparency, and cooperative security approaches that address the real issues, rejecting blanket policies that unfairly target active fan scenes rather than fostering constructive solutions.