Germany: Federal Constitutional Court validates special taxes for securing high-risk matches

Germany's Federal Constitutional Court, based in Karlsruhe (Baden-Württemberg), has ruled that the special fees charged by the city and region of Bremen to the DFL, organiser of the German professional football championships (Bundesliga and 2.Bundesliga), for providing security at high-risk matches are lawful, according to the the German Professional Football League on 14/01/2025.

This decision by the supreme judicial body and the rejection of an appeal lodged by the DFL come after 10 years of proceedings: it all started with a tax notice issued by the Bremen local authority to charge for the intervention of law enforcement officers during the SV Werder Bremen - Hambourg SV (1-0) Bundesliga match on 19/04/2015.

"In the following years, the Bremen police also repeatedly charged fees for police deployment at high-risk matches. The DFL paid these fees under reserve, but lodged an appeal against all fee notices," explained the Deutsche Fußball Liga, which also regrets the classification of certain matches as "high-risk matches".

"In addition to direct investments, football also makes a…