If we talk about an image problem, it is expressed in a friendly way. On Friday, the Bundestag of the German Football Federation (DFB) will elect a new president. Ansbach University of Applied Sciences and Julius Maximilian University Würzburg have one in advance Study on the image of the DFB accomplished. The result is devastating for the world’s largest sports federation, which claims 7,169,327 members in 2020. And this despite the fact that the survey was carried out before the latest DFB roundup.

Study: DFB top obtains a miserable certificate

A total of 11,725 ​​people took part in the survey, of which more than 70% are members of the DFB – for example as members of football clubs, as club managers, players or referees. More than 93% of those polled agreed that DFB leadership is “all about power and money”. In addition, more than 90% of respondents rated the image of the DFB as bad or very bad.

There is a huge gap between the Presidium and the DFB base

Only 4.4% of participants agreed that the DFB management represented the interests of amateur sport well and only 4.9% agreed that DFB officials were concerned about the welfare of football. Opinions are also clear about the presidency: more than 90% of those questioned would like more transparency in the electoral process, and almost three quarters are in favor of primary elections.

“Our study reveals a big gap between the DFB top and bottom, especially when it comes to transparency, diversity and fan concerns.” Professor Harald Lange, Chair of Sports Science at Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg

In addition, more than 90% of respondents regard the new president as responsible for clarifying the scandals surrounding the DFB management in recent years and for publishing the relevant results.

Despite Imminent Elections: Little Hope for Improvement Among Respondents

But apparently only a minority believe that the two candidates running on Friday are capable of initiating these processes. Only 13.4% are of the opinion that the current DFB vice-president, Peter Peters, would be a good president. Only 11.1% trust his opponent, the former state secretary of North Rhine-Westphalia Bernd Neuendorf, to take up the post.

Which of the two candidates is also elected on Friday, neither can hope for early praise. Because only 2% of those questioned think that everything will be better after the Bundestag DFB.

“We were very surprised by the extremely clear positioning of the participants. Also the small deviations in the response behavior of the group of people interested in football who are not organized in the DFB clubs and provide valuable information for this study as a control group.” Professor Harald Lange, holder of the chair of sports sciences at the Julius-Maximilians-University of Würzburg

The online survey entitled “German Football Basis 2022” was launched on January 17, 2022 and ended on February 13. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. It was fully funded by university funds and is independent of the DFB and its member organisations, according to Ansbach University and Würzburg University.

“In the best case, the study could lead to more closeness and trust between the grassroots and the DFB management,” says Prof. Jana Wiske, media scientist from the University of Ansbach, who led the study with Harald Lange.