German Football Association Pushes for Regionalliga Reform Vote
The DFB leadership has decided to present the controversial "Compass Model" at an extraordinary general meeting in December to overhaul the fourth-tier league system and secure direct promotion spots for all champions.
The German Football Association (DFB) executive committee has resolved to submit the "Compass Model" to an extraordinary Bundestag for a vote on December 18, 2026. The proposed reform aims to restructure the regional leagues and resolve a long-standing issue regarding promotion into the third division, ensuring that all league champions finally receive direct promotion.
Backed by DFB President Bernd Neuendorf, the Compass Model proposes reducing the current five fourth-tier divisions down to four leagues, each consisting of 20 teams. Under this system, team placement would be determined annually by geographic proximity and the shortest travel distances utilizing artificial intelligence, moving away from strict regional association boundaries.
Despite support from the leadership and a majority in a nationwide club survey conducted over the summer, the proposal faces substantial opposition. During the executive committee's decision, six members abstained, an unusual occurrence for a body that typically strives for consensus. Critics, including representatives from Bavaria and the Southwest, worry that traditional rivalries could disappear, historical structures would dissolve, and clubs might face unpredictable travel burdens or financial risks from shifting divisions.
To sweeten the proposal for participants, the DFB plans to assume direct organization and centralized marketing of the fourth tier. Each regional association would receive 500,000 euros annually, while individual participating clubs would be guaranteed 40,000 euros per year, with 90 percent of any additional marketing revenues distributed directly back to the teams.
Alternative models are also emerging to challenge the DFB's preferred blueprint. The Bavarian Football Association intends to introduce the "22/5 model," which would expand the third division from 20 to 22 teams and feature five relegation spots, allowing all five regional leagues to remain intact while all champions still promote. Meanwhile, the Southwest favors a regional model featuring four divisions with fixed geographical borders.
Implementing any structural reform requires a two-thirds majority among the 257 delegates at the upcoming December Bundestag, since the changes necessitate a formal amendment to association statutes. As lobbying intensifies, fan groups and club supporters across the country continue to push for a definitive solution under the guiding principle that league champions must be allowed to promote.