• TSV 1860 München lose their 3. Liga licence for the 2026-27 campaign
• Shareholder Hasan Ismaik fails to deliver promised funds before the deadline
• Club forced to drop to Regionalliga Bayern, the fourth tier of German football
• Management now working with insolvency experts to keep the club running
• Reports suggest the club needs roughly €1 million to secure a fourth-tier licence

The German Football Association (DFB) has refused to grant TSV 1860 München a licence to compete in the 3. Liga next season. The Bavarian side will now compete in the Regionalliga Bayern during the 2026-27 campaign.

The club failed to prove they have enough cash to operate. Shareholder Hasan Ismaik and his companies did not provide the money they had promised before the deadline passed.

In a statement on their website, the club said managers are working closely with insolvency experts. They hope to keep daily operations running while protecting the club’s interests and planning a stable future.

Club managing director Manfred Paula expressed his disappointment. He said he truly believed a solution would be found to save the professional club. He confirmed that Ismaik’s company, HAM International, broke its financial promise.

Paula stated that the club will now focus all its energy on building a competitive squad for the fourth tier. However, German newspaper BILD reports that 1860 Munich must pay around €1 million to obtain a Regionalliga licence. If they cannot raise this amount, the historic club could face bankruptcy.

• Deniz Aytekin and Fabienne Michel win the DFB Referee of the Year awards for the 2025-26 campaign
• German match officials voted for one week to select the top male and female referees
• Aytekin retires at age 47 after officiating his final Bundesliga match involving Bayern Munich
• The pair will appear on the cover of the 2026-27 rulebook for the second time in their careers

Deniz Aytekin and Fabienne Michel have earned the highest honour in German refereeing. They will serve as the DFB Referees of the Year for the 2025-26 season.

Sky Germany reports that colleagues across the nation chose this pair. The voting process lasted one week. Every match official in Germany could take part in the ballot.

This marks the second occasion that both referees will feature on the official rulebook. Their images will appear on the front cover of the 2026-27 edition. They first appeared on the cover two years ago.

The German Football Association hosted a special ceremony on Friday evening. The event took place in Leipzig. It served as the season finale for all elite referees. Aytekin and Michel received their trophies during this gathering.

Aytekin has reached the mandatory retirement age for officials. At 47 years old, he has officiated his final Bundesliga fixture. His last match saw Bayern Munich beat 1.FC Köln by five goals to one.

German football enforces strict age limits for its referees. Officials must retire when they reach 47 years of age. This rule helps maintain a quick pace in top-flight matches. It also opens doors for younger referees to advance their careers.

Michel continues her work on the pitch while Aytekin begins his retirement. Both have made significant contributions to football officiating in Germany.

• Julian Nagelsmann starts naming his Germany squad for the 2026 World Cup
• Eight players confirmed early through official DFB videos
• Full team list coming Thursday at 13:00 CEST
• Bayern Munich dominate early selections with three players

The German Football Association (DFB) has started revealing Julian Nagelsmann’s World Cup 2026 squad. Eight players received confirmation before Thursday’s official announcement.

The national team coach selected stars from top European clubs. Bayern Munich lead with three call-ups. Joshua Kimmich, Jamal Musiala and Aleksandar Pavlovic will represent the German champions. Arsenal striker Kai Havertz also secured his place.

VfB Stuttgart contribute two players. Deniz Undav and Jamie Leweling both made the cut. Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Nathaniel Brown complete the confirmed group.

The DFB shared videos to announce each player individually. However, most squad details already appeared in media reports before the official confirmation.

The complete 2026 World Cup squad list drops on Thursday at 13:00 Central European Summer Time. Fans await the remaining selections.

• Sven Jablonski will officiate the DFB-Pokal final on May 23
• This marks the 36-year-old’s first appointment for a German Cup final
• The match features record champions FC Bayern Munich against cup holders VfB Stuttgart
• VAR officials will work on-site at the stadium for the first time
• The kick-off is scheduled for 20:00 local time at the Olympic Stadium

The German Football Association has selected the match officials for the DFB-Pokal final. Sven Jablonski will take charge of the clash between FC Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart.

This appointment is a major milestone for the 36-year-old. He will officiate his first German Cup final. The announcement comes less than two weeks before the match in Berlin.

Jablonski recently achieved a personal landmark. He took charge of his 125th Bundesliga game last Sunday. That match was between 1. FC Köln and 1. FC Heidenheim.

A team of seven officials will support the final. Sascha Thielert and Eduard Beitinger will serve as assistant referees on the touchlines. Frank Willenborg will act as the fourth official, while Eric Müller will perform duties as the fifth official.

The video assistant referee team will also be present. Sören Storks and Christian Fischer will handle VAR duties. For the first time, they will work from inside the stadium in Berlin. Normally, VAR teams operate from the Video Assistant Centre in Cologne.

Jablonski shared his thoughts on the appointment. He said it is a huge honour to referee this final. He noted that his team views the DFB-Pokal final as a major highlight. They are looking forward to a special night of football in the capital.

The final is set for May 23. The match will begin at 20:00 local time. Bayern Munich will face defending champions VfB Stuttgart at the Olympic Stadium.

• Jens Castrop will miss Borussia Mönchengladbach’s final three Bundesliga fixtures due to a three-match suspension.
• The midfielder received a straight red card for a late challenge during Saturday’s 0-0 stalemate with VfL Wolfsburg.
• This marks the 22-year-old’s second dismissal of the season following an earlier sending-off against Bayern Munich.

Borussia Mönchengladbach must complete their remaining league fixtures without midfielder Jens Castrop after the German Football Association (DFB) imposed a three-match ban on the player.

The governing body announced the decision on Tuesday, two days after the 22-year-old saw red in stoppage time of the goalless draw with Wolfsburg. The referee dismissed Castrop for a reckless tackle on defender Saël Kumbedi, leaving Die Fohlen to see out the match with ten men.

With only three Bundesliga rounds left on the calendar, the suspension brings the versatile youngster’s season to a premature close. This latest incident adds to disciplinary concerns for the club, as it represents Castrop’s second red card of the current campaign following an earlier dismissal in October’s encounter with Bayern Munich.

Head coach Gerardo Seoane will now need to reshuffle his midfield options as Gladbach aim to finish the campaign strongly without the Germany youth international.