Overview

• A preliminary assessment confirms that the 50+1 rule aligns with competition law but warns that its current application exposes the league to legal challenges.
• Permanent protection for Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg’s investor exemptions is no longer tenable under new European Court standards.
• The authority flagged RB Leipzig’s membership structure for restricting fan voting rights and called for open access for all interested members.
• The Bundeskartellamt cited irregular voting behavior by Hannover96 executives as evidence of inconsistent application of the rule.
• Fan groups have threatened protests if the league does not enforce the 50+1 rule uniformly or address the disputed exceptions.