"Football is our life"

Football is the most popular sport in Germany. The game's rapid rise began on January 28, 1900, when football fans from across the country met in Leipzig to form the German Football Association (DFB). Since then, football in Germany has been organized centrally under the auspices of the DFB, with over 6.5 million members. It is one of the largest football associations in the world.

There has been no drop in the number of amateur football players and football fans: six million people, roughly 7% of the population, are active in over 27,000 football clubs. For eight consecutive years, the Bundesliga, Germany's professional football league, has had record attendance at its games. In 2009-2010 about 12.8 million fans enjoyed matches in the highest German league.

Schoolchildren are just as keen on the game as adults, and even well-known Germans, like former German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, can look back on their time as amateur football players. Enthusiasm runs especially high, of course, when an international competition is held in Germany, like the World Cup in 1974 and 2006, or the European championship in 1988. At times like these, Germany becomes a true "footballing nation".

The next international football event scheduled in Germany is in 2011: the Women's World Cup.

FIFA Women's World Cup 2011 in Germany

Official welcome from the President of the 2011 Women's World Cup Organising Committee Steffi Jones

FIFA Women's World Cup 2011 in Germany

The new generation of German coaches: Thomas Tuchel and Jürgen Klopp

Coaches catch the eye as England wakes up to German talent

German coaches have long enjoyed success in foreign leagues such as those in Turkey and Spain, but none have made the leap to the English Premiership. A new breed of innovative coaches may be about to change all that.

The new generation of German coaches

SAFA General Secretary Sedibe (l.), SAFA President Nematandani, DFB Vice President Koch and DFB Internatinal Relations Representative Weidner

DFB and SAFA intensify partnership

The German Football Association (DFB) and the South African Football Association (SAFA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Johannesburg to intensify their existing partnership on November 4.

DFB and SAFA intensify partnership

Ambassador Haller hands over a comemorative ball to PSL CEO Siem

Partnership agreement between German Bundesliga and South African PSL

The two professional bodies of the highest football leagues of South Africa and Germany signed a cooperation agreement at the German School Johannesburg on April 26. Representatives of the German Football League (DFL) and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) concluded an agreement to exchange knowledge,ideas and expertise pertaining to football administration and development.

Partnership agreement between German Bundesliga and South African PSL

The extraordinary Fatmire Bajramaj

Steffi Jones, herself once a world-class player, compares young talent Fatmire Bajramaj with Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi. At 22, Bajramaj is still only at the beginning of her playing career, but she is already a World Cup winner, European champion, and Olympic bronze medallist. Hers is one of the many success stories of migrants to Germany.

Fatmire Bajramaj

Fascination of Football

The Bundesliga, the national team, women’s soccer – football in Germany is currently a unique success story. Never before has there been as much enthusiasm for the game as there is today.

Fascination of Football

Football in Germany

Become a fan of the GIC on Facebook

Africa's Top Ten footballers in the German Bundesliga

No.10, Sean Dundee: the South African-born striker bagged 61 goals in 162 Bundesliga appearances for Karlsruher SC and VfB Stuttgart.

No.9, Jonathan Akpoborie: the Nigerian striker played in the Bundesliga from 1995 to 2001, at Rostock, Stuttgart and Wolfsburg, scoring 61 goals in 144 games and hiiting double figures every year between 1996 and 2000

No.8, Mohamed Zidan: the Egyptian forward had spells at Werder Bremen, Mainz 05 and Hamburg before joining Borussia Dortmund. In 132 game to date he has scored 40 goals, 35 of them under his current coach Jürgen Klopp.

No.7, Bachirou Salou: The Togolese striker made 253 Bundesliga appearances for five clubs between 1990 and 2003, scoring 51 goals and winning the DFB Cup in 1995 with Borussia Mönchengladbach

No.6, Pablo Thiam: currently the African player with the most Bundesliga appearances (311), the Guinean international midfielder helped FC Bayern to win the World Club Cup in 2001.

No.5, Anthony Baffoe: 74 games and four goals for 1.FC Köln and Fortuna Düsseldorf. Pupular German punk rock band “Die Toten Hosen” helped finance the Ghanaian defender's move to their hometown club Düsseldorf in 1989.

No.4, Sammy Kuffour: another Ghanaian defender, Kuffour spent twelve years at Bayern Munich and was a member of their 2001 Champions League-winning side. He is the African with the most German league titles (six)

No.3, Souleyman Sane: the Senegalese played 174 times for Nuremberg and Wattenscheid between the late 80s and mid-90s, notching 51 goals, making him Wattenscheid's all-time top scorer (39 goals) in the Bundesliga.

No.2, Jay-Jay Okocha: “so good they named him twice”. At Eintracht Frankfurt from 1992 to 1996, the Nigerian is best remembered for a stunning individual effort against Oliver Kahn's Karlsruhe in 1993.

No.1, Anthony Yeboah: the only African player winning the “canon” for the top scorer (1993-94), the gifted Ghanaian even had his own dedicated fan club at Eintracht Frankfurt – the “Yeboah's Witnesses”

African Football Stars

Impressions of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany

2006 FIFA World Cup Germany

EM 2008 - Fanmeile Berlin

Jugendlicher Fußballfan

2006 FIFA World Cup Germany

Football World Cup 2006

Bundesliga.de - All News

Bundesliga.de - Your football webpage

May 21, 2012 3:10 PM

Bundesliga: No play-off replay, rules DFB

Frankfurt - The play-off match between Fortuna Düsseldorf and Hertha BSC will not be repeated after the German Football Association (DFB) tribunal rejected Hertha's appeal on Monday afternoon.

May 21, 2012 2:34 PM

Bundesliga: Netzer: 'Of course we're favourites'

Munich - Günter Netzer was influential in helping Germany to their first ever European Championship title in 1972 and remains a popular figure in the country's sporting culture, having re-established himself as a respected and forthright television pundit.

May 21, 2012 2:09 PM

Bundesliga: Focus on defence

Munich - Manuel Neuer is certain of his place in goal, Miroslav Klose of his in attack. Midfielders Mesut Özil, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Sami Khedira can also safely assume they'll be starting in Germany's first game of UEFA EURO 2012 against Portugal on 9 June. In defence, only captain Philipp Lahm can be sure of a starting berth.

May 20, 2012 2:41 PM

Bundesliga: Schweinsteiger cuts a tragic figure

Munich - As the tragic night neared it's end, Bastian Schweinsteiger couldn't even face his own girlfriend Sarah. When the inconsolable 'Schweini' left the Postpalast Hotel at half past five in the morning, he took one exit, the supermodel another. The German international understandably just wanted to escape and have the earth swallow him up. He did not want to see, hear or feel anything.

May 20, 2012 11:44 AM

Bundesliga: Bayern's "nightmare dahoam"

Munich - After a disappointing night in Munich, FC Bayern were once again left to rue their mistakes as the players and staff trudged off the pitch to collect their silver medals, heads hanging, while their joyous opponents celebrated around them.

May 20, 2012 11:21 AM

Bundesliga: Heynckes: 'Incredible performance not rewarded'

Munich - As the final whistle approached in Saturday's Champions League final, FC Bayern Munich looked to be on their way to a well-deserved fifth triumph in European football's elite competition, having dominated the match from the start.

May 20, 2012 12:28 AM

Bundesliga: "Football is brutal sometimes"

Munich - FC Bayern's Champions League dream of winning the "Finale dahoam" was shattered on Saturday night by Chelsea. Despite dictating proceedings throughout the 120 minutes of play, head coach Jupp Heynckes and his side ultimately fell short in the cruelest of ways - courtesy of a penalty shoot-out. bundesliga.de brings you the reactions from those at, and involved, with the game.

May 19, 2012 11:31 PM

Bundesliga: Blues ruin Bavarian dream

Munich - In the end it was Chelsea rather than FC Bayern Munich who made history in the final of European football's most prestigious competition on Saturday night, as they overcame the odds to win 4-3 on penalties and become the first London-based team to win the Champions League.

German Football Association

The German Football Association (DFB) has over 6.5 million members in 26,000 clubs nationwide and is one of the largest sport associations in the world. In 2000 the DFB celebrated its 100th birthday.

www.dfb.de

German Bundesliga

The official website of Germany's highest football league offers you current news, results, standings and infos about clubs players and much more.

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