Mertesacker to become DFB chief, Kramer's ZDF contract remains unclear

While Per Mertesacker will take up the role of new DFB chief executive on 1 January 2027 and thereby ends his work at ZDF, the future of long‑time co‑expert Christoph Kramer at the broadcaster is uncertain – his contract has expired and he is currently working only on a fee basis, and is therefore no longer firmly embedded in the team.

Per Mertesacker's Farewell from ZDF

The Nations League match of the German national team against Serbia marks the farewell of TV expert Per Mertesacker. He had been a regular part of the international match broadcasts for years and was on microphone during the coverage.

From 1 January 2027 he will assume the position of DFB chief executive, succeeding Andreas Rettig. For ZDF this means that in 2026 it will no longer broadcast any further international matches.

Before kickoff of the match on Thursday evening in Munich, Mertesacker spoke about his new role at the world's largest individual sport association and shared a quirky moment with the new national team coach Jürgen Klopp on live TV.

German media predict three-way points race in Nations League group

Christoph Kramer's Unclear Future

After the 2024 European Championship, the 35‑year‑old Christoph Kramer – like his colleague Mertesacker – had renewed his contract with ZDF. The editorial staff reported on Thursday evening that this contract has now expired.

The former midfielder is currently only working on a fee basis in the coverage, as his regular contract expires after the football World Cup in the summer. According to the newspaper, both sides are in talks, and the signs are good for an agreement in the coming weeks.

Kramer ended his playing career in 2024, after he and Mertesacker had won the World Cup in Brazil. His long‑standing work as an expert for ZDF began already during his active playing days.