"Kahn Critiques Bundesliga as Unfair": Kahn expresses dissatisfaction with the Bundesliga
In an open critique, Oliver Kahn, former CEO of FC Bayern Munich, has expressed his concerns about the competitive balance in the Bundesliga. The 13-time consecutive title winners, Bayern, have dominated the German league, winning their 33rd title in May 2025.
Kahn argues that this dominance has made the Bundesliga less fair and exciting, with a vast financial gap between Bayern's approximately €300 million squad budget and the much smaller budgets of other clubs. This disparity, he believes, undermines fair competition and may harm the league's long-term health.
The financial power of Bayern, amplified by revenues from competitions like the Club World Cup, allows them to field a squad's worth of substitutes that surpasses entire squads of lower-tier Bundesliga clubs. This predictability in title races and diminishing international prestige, as Bundesliga clubs struggle to compete with the Premier League and La Liga for attracting top talent and global attention, is a cause for concern.
Kahn also points to the example of Florian Wirtz, who chose Liverpool over Bayern for sporting and economic reasons, as evidence of the Bundesliga's challenges in retaining top players.
Suggesting potential solutions, Kahn implies a need for mechanisms that could limit Bayern’s budget or redistribute resources more evenly to level the playing field, reinvigorate the league's competitiveness, and rebuild its international appeal. Without such changes, the Bundesliga risks becoming predictable and less attractive to fans and players alike.
Kahn's comments come at a time when the Bundesliga is under scrutiny, with critics questioning its attractiveness compared to the Premier League and La Liga. The former Bayern legend believes that courage is needed to change existing systems, both nationally and internationally, to solve the problems in the Bundesliga.
This week's edition of MOPO, available from Friday, does not include any topics related to the issues discussed by Oliver Kahn. However, it does feature articles on The Melvins at the Markthalle, daily tips for going out, HSV fans in the Bundesliga, and St. Pauli's stadium plans.
Kahn proposes that limiting Bayern's budget or redistributing resources more evenly could reinvigorate the Bundesliga's competitiveness, as he believes the vast financial gap between Bayern and other clubs is harming fair competition and the league's international appeal. Despite the dominance of Bayern in football, Kahn fears that the predictability in title races and diminishing international prestige might make the Bundesliga less attractive to fans and players who desire fairer competition.
