Fight for power: Who replaces the board of 1. FC Köln?

Fight for power: Who replaces the board of 1. FC Köln?

The football world in Cologne is in the starting blocks for an exciting autumn. On Wednesday, the member council of 1st FC Köln will present the team that would like to run for the board elections. The pressure and anticipation are noticeable, because for the first time several teams could fight for the board positions, such as the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger reported.

In a final meeting of the finding commission, the results were presented, which represent a possible new beginning for the association. The currently incumbent presidium, consisting of Werner Wolf, Eckhard Sauren and Carsten Wettich, will no longer run. The two do not want to make themselves available again, while Wettich remains in the race.

The search for new heads

In the middle of these changes, the association has already made plans for the upcoming election. The member council, under the leadership of Fabian Schwab and his deputy Stacy Krott, is actively looking for suitable candidates. The first names that are traded are Christian Müller, Nicole Grünewald, Dieter Prestin and Matthias Scherz. Interestingly, there are efforts to integrate a woman into the board for the first time, which could correspond to a fresh wind in the traditional club structure, such as Express emphasized.

The selection process for the nomination of the new board members has already been well advanced. Preliminary talks and interviews have been going on since January, and the final suggestions must be submitted to the election commission by August 15th. Alternatively, other teams can also compete with sufficient supporter signatures, with a total of around 4,200 signatures necessary.

financial challenges and sporting perspectives

The 1st FC Köln got a breath of fresh air on March 29, 2025 by returning to the Bundesliga, a 2-1 win against SC Paderborn on March 29, 2025. Nevertheless, the association and the upcoming decision -makers face major challenges. Despite an increased income situation to over 30 million euros a year, the budget for the professional team has dropped to 40 million euros, which means a sharp decline in squad value from 100 million euros to 60 million euros, such as The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger informed.

The board created financial scope through rigorous austerity and the separation of service providers, but this is not without resonance. In view of a transfer lock, the possibilities for new additions were restricted, and the previous investments did not bring the hoped -for success. Carsten Wettich has already emphasized that the sporting orientation is crucial for the future of the club and that one should have taken more time to achieve sustainable success.

In these times, it remains to be seen who will direct the fortunes of 1. FC Köln in the future. The member council will put the cards on the table on Wednesday and set the direction in which the likeable club from Cologne wants to develop. The supporters can look forward to exciting times!