On the terraces: German election special

In a weekly Newsletter, Matt Ford keeps an eye on the action off the pitch in the Bundesliga and German football, explaining what’s going on from fan protests to finances.

This Sunday, German voters will go to the polls in an early federal election, called following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's coalition government back in November. Not only will the election have a major impact on the future direction of Germany and the European Union; it will also impact football supporters. Ahead of the election, fan legal aid groups have published a list of security and policing demands to whoever forms the next government, while several fan and ultra groups have called on fellow supporters to protect the values they associate with their fan culture by voting against the far-right.

Matt Ford's "On the terraces" newsletter will continue to appear every week throughout the 2024/25 Bundesliga season. Last season, the newsletter featured exclusive and in-depth coverage of the Bundesliga's private equity plans and the political intrigues at VfB Stuttgart, among other things. If you like what you see, please consider taking out a paid subscription.