East tests model that uses fewer police in high‑risk games
When the derby between Carl Zeiss Jena and Rot‑Weiß Erfurt broke out in May at the stadium, instead of thousands of fans only about three to four hundred police officers were on standby – a significantly smaller contingent that illustrates the new pilot project in the East and showed that less police presence is possible at high‑risk games.
Cost Sharing and DFB Decision
The German Football Association decided on 11 September to pass on possible police costs for high‑risk games to the clubs in the future. Around the Jena versus Erfurt derby, personnel and material costs amounting to €480,000 arose, which could now be borne by the clubs. The DFB presidium therefore identified an urgent issue for the regional league clubs.
Reduced Police Deployments in the Regional League
In the Regionalliga Nordost, ten high‑risk games have already been staged with a large police effort. Two of them took place in Thuringia: Carl Zeiss Jena versus Lok Leipzig and Jena versus Rot‑Weiß Erfurt, each with a mid‑three‑digit number of officers. The pilot project is now testing a model with significantly less police presence.
Experiences from Chemnitzer FC
Tommy Haeder, managing director of Chemnitzer FC, emphasizes that several games with a high‑risk character have already been carried out with considerably less police effort. In 2026, Chemnitzer FC reduced the number of officers on 9 May, 4 August and 15 August and gathered positive experiences. According to Sportschau research, roughly 1,000 police deployment hours were saved compared with earlier matches.
Erfurt versus Erzgebirge Aue: Numbers in Detail
In the match Erfurt versus Erzgebirge Aue on 19 September, which attracted over 13,000 spectators, only a low three‑digit number of officers were deployed. The Saxony Ministry of the Interior cites an average of 320 officers for a high‑risk game (red game) and 110 for a yellow game. This reduction shows that even with high stakes, fewer police forces can be sufficient.
Political Support and Outlook
Armin Schuster, Saxony’s interior minister, praises the new model and states: “We want to prove that through a constructive collaboration of clubs, fans and security authorities, the required police strength can be significantly reduced.” After positive experiences with FSV Zwickau and Chemnitzer FC, they are now in goal‑oriented talks with additional clubs. The aim is to ensure safety around the stadium with as little police presence as possible.
The Saxony Football Association is involved in the project, while the North‑East German Football Association is not involved. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the cooperation of the network partners enables a relief for police units, affecting even patrol services. The pilot project could in the future sustainably change the discussion about cost sharing and police presence in amateur and regional leagues.