Attendance surge fuels Bundesliga record in 2025/26

The 2025/26 season saw the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga set new attendance records, with the 36 professional clubs distributing a combined 21,404,258 tickets, an average of 34,974 spectators per fixture. The latest spectator report released by the Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) confirmed the unprecedented figures across Germany's top two divisions.

Overall ticket distribution reached 21,404,258, including complimentary and honorary admissions, establishing a fresh benchmark for German football. This total translates to an average of 34,974 tickets per match, the highest per‑fixture figure ever recorded.

In the Bundesliga alone, clubs handed out 12,718,097 tickets, a 9.1 % rise on the previous campaign. Average top‑flight attendance climbed from 38,082 to 41,562, driven largely by the return of Hamburg and 1. FC Köln, both equipped with large stadiums and strong supporter bases. By contrast, relegated sides VfL Bochum and Holstein Kiel operated with considerably smaller capacities.

Borussia Dortmund again topped the attendance chart, welcoming almost 80,000 fans per home game in its 81,365‑seat arena. Bayern Munich followed with roughly 75,000 spectators in its 75,024‑seat stadium, while promoted Hamburg averaged about 56,900 in the 57,000‑seat Volksparkstadion. The league’s overall stadium occupancy rose slightly from 95.9 % to 96.1 %, with Union Berlin, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern and St. Pauli achieving 100 % occupancy and another 12 clubs filling over 90 % of capacity.

The Bundesliga’s average attendance stayed comfortably ahead of Spain’s La Liga, which logged 30,945 spectators per match, and Italy’s Serie A, which recorded 30,084. This gap underscores the commercial strength of German football relative to its European peers.

The 2. Bundesliga experienced a modest decline after losing major attractions Köln and Hamburg to promotion, distributing 8,686,161 tickets – an average of 28,386 per game, down from 30,493 the season before. The division’s average crowd fell as the promoted clubs departed for the top flight.

Schalke 04 produced the highest average attendance in the 2. Bundesliga with more than 61,000 spectators in its 62,271‑capacity stadium, followed by Hertha Berlin (over 47,000 in a 74,475‑seat arena) and 1. FC Kaiserslautern (nearly 46,000). Preußen Münster recorded the highest occupancy rate at almost 100 %, aided by reduced capacity due to renovation work, while Schalke followed just under 99 %.

Ticket prices rose alongside the crowds. The average Bundesliga ticket cost €30.77 in 2025/26, up from €28.78 the previous year, inclusive of VAT and public‑transport contributions. Seated tickets increased from €35.28 to €37.14, and standing tickets from €12.04 to €12.27. In the 2. Bundesliga, the average price slipped slightly to €24.34 from €24.70, reflecting the division’s lower price tier.