District of Aschaffenburg: Rodenhausen and reforms for the football of the future!

District of Aschaffenburg: Rodenhausen and reforms for the football of the future!

A breath of fresh air is blowing in the Aschaffenburg football district: On January 16, 2026, Xaver Rodenhausen was elected as the new district chairman. [bfv.de]. The clubs are faced with the challenge of developing a sustainable solution, whether they prefer a structure with two or three circles. The course is to be set at the extraordinary district meeting in 2028, with the planned implementation of the reallocation for the 2030/31 season.

But not only structural changes are on the agenda. The participants at the district council were also asked to give their opinions on upcoming reforms in gaming operations. An important topic was extra time in playoff or relegation games, for which a whopping 96.7 percent were in favor of keeping it, while 3.3 percent were in favor of immediate penalty shootouts. Another topic discussed was the introduction of time penalties. A majority of 59.3 percent spoke out against the retention, which underlines the trend towards reform in gaming operations.

Voices from the clubs

Similar to Aschaffenburg, many important issues were worked on during the recent district council elections in the Zugspitze football district. As merkur.de informed me, Heinz Eckl was unanimously elected as district game manager and district chairman for another four years. At this meeting, 298 delegates gathered in the Tiefstollenhalle in Peißenberg, who also had to discuss important reforms in gaming operations. Here too, the delegates were clear about the time penalty: 70.5 percent spoke out against maintaining it - a clear indication under the new DFB rules. In addition, 74.4 percent of delegates rejected an automatic ban after a yellow-red card in the adult area.

These voices from the various football circles are not only important for the internal structure of the clubs, but also for the overarching sports policy in Germany. Because adequate communication between sports clubs and their associations is crucial. Tennis and many other sports face similar challenges in terms of membership structure and adapting to modern lifestyles. Volunteer helpers, such as those active in numerous German sports and gymnastics clubs, play a central role and are often the driving force behind important reforms.

A look at the future

The German sports system is characterized primarily by five principles: autonomy, subsidiarity, federalism, cooperation and coexistence. These principles help ensure that sports clubs can and do organize themselves independently. According to bpb.de, 28.8 million people are now actively involved in sport on a voluntary basis - an impressive commitment, but one that also faces challenges. Declining membership numbers and increasing demands on club offerings present those responsible with major tasks.

The upcoming reforms in gaming operations, which were discussed both in Aschaffenburg and in the Zugspitze football district, show the clear will for further development within this community. Football clubs are prepared to make bold decisions to continue to function as vibrant and attractive places for sport and community. The path the emerging reform process will take remains exciting and time will tell which measures will sustainably improve everyday club life.