DFB President Calls for Federal Investment in Football Infrastructure

Bernd Neuendorf warns that deteriorating facilities threaten the survival of many clubs and advocates for a dedicated sports minister in Germany.

Bernd Neuendorf, President of the German Football Association (DFB), has urged the federal government to launch an infrastructure program to modernize the country's 44,000 football facilities.
Neuendorf highlighted that many football fields and club facilities across Germany are outdated, with minimal upgrades or energy-efficient renovations in recent decades.
He warned that poor infrastructure is endangering the existence of numerous football clubs, particularly in rural areas where population decline compounds the issue.
Neuendorf also called for the establishment of a sports minister in the chancellery to centralize and prioritize sports-related policies, similar to existing roles in cultural affairs.
The DFB has identified significant disparities in football participation between urban and rural areas, with a particular focus on expanding opportunities for women and girls in underserved regions.