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The structure of the DFB

The DFB, the sports organisation with the most members in Germany, is a social institution and one of the nation’s largest social networks. The DFB is effectively made up of 27 member organisations, and the structure resembles a pyramid, with DFB e.V., based at the DFB-Campus in Frankfurt am Main, at the top of it. The fully-owned subsidiary DFB GmbH & Co. KG belongs to DFB e.V. The members of the DFB are the DFL and the five regional associations, Nord, West, Süd, Südwest and Nordost. The regional associations are made up of 21 different state associations, which are then split up into local districts. A total of around 7.7 million members and 24,000 clubs are part of these different associations.

They are all represented in the central committees of organised football, DFB’s Presidential Board, Executive Board and the DFB Bundestag. The highest body, and effectively the ‘German football parliament’ is the DFB Bundestag. It represents the legislative branch of the DFB, where, every four years, the Presidential and Executive Boards are elected, and the statutes and regulations of the DFB are decided.

The Presidential Board, as the executive body, represents the executive branch of the association and is, according to the statutes, "responsible for handling the day-to-day business." The Executive Board reviews the reports of the committees and auditors and advises the members of the Presidential Board in the fulfilment of their duties. It consists of the members of the Presidential Board, the Presidents of the state and regional associations, as well as 12 representatives of DFL e.V.

Operational work is carried out in DFB specialist committees and commissions, which in turn include experts from all member associations. These activities are complemented by the foundations of the DFB and DFL e.V. The cohesion of everyone involved was confirmed by the Basic Agreement, which regulates the special rights and obligations of DFL e.V. as a member of the DFB.