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DFL managing director pats himself on the back for copyright protection, misses the point by cracking down on digital piracy
TL;DR
DFL's managing director, Steffen Merkel, highlights efforts in copyright protection while failing to address the rising costs of football subscriptions in Germany. Fans are increasingly turning to piracy due to exorbitant fees for multiple streaming services.
Key points
- Steffen Merkel is the Managing Director of DFL GmbH.
- DAZN subscription prices have increased by over 200%.
- Fans need multiple subscriptions to watch all football competitions.
- Piracy is rising due to high subscription costs.
- Paramount Plus and Netflix will change broadcasting rights in 2027.
Mentioned in this story
DFL GmbHDAZNParamount PlusNetflix
26 January 2026, Hesse, Frankfurt/Main: Soccer: Bundesliga, New Year's reception of the German Football League (DFL) at the Gesellschaftshaus Palmengarten. Steffen Merkel, Managing Director of DFL GmbH, speaks at the DFL's New Year's reception. Photo: Florian Wiegand/dpa (Photo by Florian Wiegand/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Germany has had a growing issue with watching football on the television for quite some time. The main provider of the Bundesliga, DAZN, has raised its’ prices by more than 200% without adding any services over the years, with its’ subscription’s price currently sitting at 44.99 Euros per month. Fortunately, they also carry the Champions League. But DAZN also does not carry the DFB Pokal, so to watch all competitions German football fans need to buy the 34.99 EURO Sport subscription.
Things will get worse in 2027, though. DAZN will no longer carry the Champions League as Paramount Plus gets the rights for the competition in Germany, as well, costing fans up to another 12.99 euros. But they will not stream the final of Europe’s top competition, because Netflix will do that. Their subscription fees in Germany go up to 13,99 Euro. To watch every domestic and Champions League match starting in, German football fans need to get four subscriptions and shell out unbelievable amount of money to watch every football match.
So many have, unsurprisingly, turned to piracy to watch football. It is simply the less obscenely expensive, simpler way to watch football in Germanay.
And, unsurprisingly, those in charge of German football have completely missed the point. Steffen Merkel, DFL’s managing director, denounced digital piracy of football in a recent interview:
“It astonishes me how some people downplay digital piracy,” Merkel professed, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. “Users of illegal live streams are not only harming themselves enormously, but they shouldn’t be surprised if their devices become infected with malware or their credit card is suddenly used somewhere in the world. Everyone who nonchalantly talks about their manipulated receiver or new IPTV app at the pub needs to understand this.”
Q&A
What are the subscription costs for watching Bundesliga and Champions League in Germany?
Currently, Bundesliga fans pay 44.99 Euros per month for DAZN, plus additional costs for other services like Sport and Paramount Plus, which can total over 100 Euros monthly.
Why are German football fans resorting to piracy?
Many fans are turning to piracy as a cheaper alternative to the high costs of multiple subscriptions required to watch all football matches in Germany.
What changes are coming to football broadcasting in Germany in 2027?
In 2027, DAZN will lose Champions League rights to Paramount Plus, and Netflix will stream the final, leading to increased costs for fans needing multiple subscriptions.
Who is Steffen Merkel and what did he say about copyright protection?
Steffen Merkel is the Managing Director of DFL GmbH, and he recently spoke about the importance of copyright protection for football, although critics argue he overlooks the affordability issues for fans.
