First licensing decisions for 2023-24 season

20 April 2023 – Today, the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga made its first licensing decisions for the forthcoming 2023-24 season of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2. In this first phase, none of the 47 applicants were denied a licence. However, subject to sporting qualification, some clubs will have to meet certain conditions by the beginning of June in order to obtain their licence, while other clubs have been approved subject to obligations.

In accordance with its statutes, the DFL is the first-level authority for the licensing process. With a view to ensuring honest and fair competition, it takes into account financial, sporting, legal, HR and administrative criteria, as well as stadium-related criteria and, for the first time, criteria pertaining to sustainability and the Virtual Bundesliga. In examining various criteria, the DFL can impose conditions and/or obligations on applicants in accordance with its Licensing Regulations. A condition specifies that certain requirements must be met by a set date before the new season so that – subject to all other criteria being satisfied – a licence can be issued for the coming season. An obligation defines the criteria that must be maintained throughout the season once a licence has been issued.

The clubs have one week in which to appeal the preliminary decision.

The second decision by the DFL will take place in early May. The affected clubs will then have five days in which to lodge a second appeal. After this, the first meeting of the Licensing Committee, chaired by Jan-Christian Dreesen, will be held. This meeting will issue a final decision on the second appeals. The Licensing Committee’s final decision on whether these applicants have met the respective conditions and whether they should therefore be granted licences is scheduled for mid-June.

You can find further information on the licensing process here.