Fans demand promotion reform – SC Freiburg backs the model

Fans have been following the issue for years, which comes to a head in 2026: the promotion reform in the Regionalliga, and the word fascism is mentioned in the political context. Welcome to the Curves Show! Since March of this year, the curves and many clubs have been advocating the compass model.

The compass model proposes that instead of five Regionalligas, there will in the future be only four leagues with twenty teams each. With the help of an AI, the teams will be reallocated each year based on regional criteria. Short distances and low costs are to be the focus, while the borders of the federal states will no longer play a role.

A vote of the clubs showed that 51 percent were in favour of the model. However, the associations did not consider the majority clear enough and postponed the decision. The supporters of the model saw this as fraud, voiced their anger loudly and continue to demand the reform vehemently.

Broad fan base supports reform

Thus, at the weekend, the supporters of SC Freiburg, 1. FC Saarbrücken, VfL Wolfsburg, Eintracht Braunschweig, Hannover 96, Arminia Bielefeld, FC St. Pauli, 1. FC Köln, Rot‑Weiss Essen, Fortuna Köln, the curve of FC Bayern München, FC Augsburg, the fans of VfL Bochum, 1. FC Magdeburg, SC Paderborn, the supporters of Borussia Dortmund, SV Werder Bremen, Dynamo Dresden, Holstein Kiel and Union Berlin voiced their support for the reform.

Political messages and further demands

The presidents of the respective Regionalliga associations declared: “Time is up!”. Following the vote, a resolution of the DFB was announced on Friday, at the urging of President Bernd Neuendorf, stating that the final decision is to be made on 18 December in an extraordinary Bundestag. The new structure is to be implemented in 2026. We, the club SC Freiburg, support the model. Only there can the new restructuring be decided; a two‑thirds majority is required for that. Another issue is the 50+1 rule, which fans demand to be enforced more, especially against clubs such as RB Leipzig, TSG 1899 Hoffenheim or VfL Wolfsburg. Another political message was the word fascism, which was shouted loudly by the fans of FC St. Pauli after the election in Saxony‑Anhalt. In addition, in the context of § 218 of the Criminal Code, possible imprisonment of up to three years was discussed.