A significant decrease in injuries surrounding professional football matches in Germany’s top three leagues marked the 2024/25 season, according to a recently released report from the Zentrale Informationsstelle Sporteinsätze (ZIS), a monitoring agency based in North Rhine-Westphalia. The report details a 17.2% reduction in total injuries, bringing the figure to 1,107 individuals. Notably, injuries sustained by police officers plummeted by a substantial 48%, falling to 160 – a welcome development for law enforcement agencies.
However, this apparent success story is tempered by a worrying surge in the misuse of pyrotechnics. The number of offenses related to fireworks increased by approximately 73%, reaching 4,783 instances. This escalating trend resulted in 95 injuries, impacting not only active participants, but also uninvolved bystanders. While police initiated 5,197 criminal proceedings, representing a 22% decrease, the number of detentions rose by 2.3% to 6,028, indicating increased intervention in escalating situations.
The report highlights the persistent challenge of hooliganism within fan communities. Estimates suggest roughly 18,000 individuals associated with the 53 clubs are prone to violent behavior – a rise of 280 individuals compared to previous assessments. As an illustration of the continuing problem, the report cites an October 2024 incident involving approximately 100 suspected Rostock hooligans attacking a special train bound for Essen.
ZIS director Michael Madre emphasized the need for stricter measures by clubs to address violent offenders. He urged for consistent enforcement of stadium bans as a crucial step in curbing escalating tensions and safeguarding public safety. The apparent contradiction – fewer injuries overall but rising pyrotechnic offenses and a widening pool of potentially violent fans – points to a complex picture requiring nuanced strategies beyond simply recording incident numbers, raising questions regarding the efficacy of current preventative measures and the underlying social factors fueling fan violence.