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Fight for power: Who will replace the board of 1. FC Köln?
1. FC Cologne is planning new elections to the board. Which teams are running and what are the challenges? Find out now!
Fight for power: Who will replace the board of 1. FC Köln?
The football world in Cologne is in the starting blocks for an exciting autumn. On Wednesday, the members' council of 1. FC Köln will present the team that would like to run for the board elections. The pressure and anticipation are palpable, because for the first time several teams could fight for board positions, like this Cologne City Gazette reported.
At a final meeting of the search committee, the results were presented, which represent a possible new beginning for the association. The current executive committee, consisting of Werner Wolf, Eckhard Sauren and Carsten Wettich, will no longer be running. The former two do not want to make themselves available again, while Wettich remains in the race.
The search for new minds
Amid these changes, the club has already made plans for the upcoming election. The Members' Council, led by Fabian Schwab and his deputy Stacy Krott, is actively looking for suitable candidates. The first names to be traded are Christian Müller, Nicole Grünewald, Dieter Prestin and Matthias Scherz. Interestingly, there are efforts to integrate a woman onto the board for the first time, which could represent a breath of fresh air in the traditional club structure Express highlights.
The selection process for nominating new board members is already well advanced. Preliminary discussions and interviews have been underway since January and the final proposals must be submitted to the Electoral Commission by August 15. Alternatively, other teams with sufficient supporter signatures can also compete, with a total of around 4,200 signatures required.
Financial challenges and sporting perspectives
1. FC Köln got a breath of fresh air by returning to the Bundesliga with a 2-1 win against SC Paderborn on March 29, 2025. Nevertheless, the club and the future decision-makers face major challenges. Despite an increased income situation of over 30 million euros annually, the budget for the professional team has fallen to 40 million euros, which means a sharp decline in the squad value from 100 million euros to 60 million euros the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger informed.
The board has created financial flexibility through rigorous austerity measures and the separation of top performers, but this has not gone without response. Given a transfer ban, the opportunities for new signings were limited and 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 more time should have been given to achieve sustainable success.
Especially in these times, it remains to be seen who will direct the fortunes of 1. FC Köln in the future. The members' council will put the cards on the table on Wednesday and indicate the direction in which the friendly club from Cologne would like to develop. Fans can look forward to exciting times!