German States Divided on Charging Football Clubs for Police Costs

A landmark court ruling allows states to bill football leagues for security at high-risk matches, but implementation varies across Germany.

The Federal Constitutional Court upheld Bremen's law requiring the Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) to pay for police costs at high-risk football matches.
The court ruled that billing event organizers for additional security costs is constitutional and does not violate basic rights.
Bremen has already charged over €3 million to Werder Bremen for past matches, while other states debate adopting similar measures.
Some states, like Hamburg and Rheinland-Pfalz, support a nationwide fund for distributing costs, while others, including Bayern and Berlin, oppose club contributions.
Critics warn of potential financial strain on smaller clubs and uneven competition due to inconsistent policies across states.