DFB Census 2009: DFB-Membership continues boom

Close to 6.7 million members

The Deutsche Fußball-Bund (DFB) registers a new record: With more than 120,000 new registrations, total membership for the association of football in Germany rose to 6.684,462. Exactly 25,726 clubs belong to the DFB, while 178,396 individual teams compete on a weekly basis. Football remains the top-ranked sport in Germany, as DFB-membership continues to outrank all other sports associations organised under the roof of the German Olympic Sports Association, the DOSB.

Football has never been more popular among the teens and twens in Germany, because the youngsters joined the football-clubs throughout the land in droves. 2.315,987 million boys and girls play the game in the 21 regional associations of the DFB, with the figure rising by 42,297 adolscents (up to 18 years) compared to last year.

With the 2011 FIFA World Cup looming large, the women’s game also enjoys a significant upswing. DFB membership includes 1.022,824 women and girls. For the second time in a row, female membership exceeds the one-million-mark, including 20,219 new registrations. Major growth is visible among the girls teams under 16, with 565 new teams compared to the 2008 figure.

DFB President Dr. Theo Zwanziger said: “No other sport is more popular among the boys and girls. We read so much about our youth becoming less interested in sports and other social opportunities, which makes these new figures all the more satisfying. The growth among girls playing football should continue and even pick up pace as we will be very active on the road to the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup here in Germany.”

Bavaria (1.465,579) remains as the biggest regional association ahead of Westphalia (823,442) and Niedersachsen (670,504).