Overview

• Hans-Joachim Watzke officially entered the presidential race on August 13 following requests from the Wirtschaftsrat and Ältestenrat.
• Reinhold Lunow confirmed he will seek re-election, turning the vote into a direct contest between longstanding club leaders.
• For the first time, the November members' meeting will be hybrid, enabling roughly 230,000 members to cast ballots digitally or in person.
• A recent compliance review cleared Watzke of expense misconduct and solidified committee support, positioning him as the favored candidate.
• Analysts anticipate a lengthy, polarized campaign largely driven by disagreements over the €20 million Rheinmetall sponsorship and club identity.