German Football Association: More and more members: DFB “reaches its limits”

Despite the overall positive figures, the DFB continues to face challenges. “Many clubs are reaching their limits when it comes to sports facilities, training times, personnel and organization. That’s why, together with our regional associations, we are working tirelessly to improve the framework conditions for amateur football,” said President Bernd Neuendorf.

Slightly fewer players

According to the company’s own information, the number of clubs fell by 0.65 percent to 23,713. Despite the growth in membership, the number of active players also fell slightly for the first time in years: 2.34 million players represent a decline of 0.46 percent.

This is particularly due to the men’s sector. From the DFB’s point of view, the development in the girls’ sector is encouraging: Last year there were 630 more all-girls teams than the year before – currently there are 6,662.

The number of referees in the country also increased for the third year in a row. There were 62,333 referees registered in the 2025/2026 season, 1,307 more than in the previous year.