Project Fußball

In the final episode of season three, Werder Bremen chief executive Klaus Filbry joins the show to discuss how the 50+1 rule works in practise in the boardroom at a top German football club. Filbry, who once played for Wigan Athletic, emphasizes the need for a level playing field, but one that must not come at the cost of a rule he believes is the soul of German football.

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In the penultimate episode of season three, the future of 50+1 is discussed as Matt Ford joins James to talk about two interviews he had with people at the heart of the fight to keep the 50+1 rule in place. Thanks to a chat with a Hannover board member and a conversation with a Freiburg fan committed to the cause, the reason why the rule matters to so many is made clear.

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In the third episode of season three, we discuss the issue of competition in the Bundesliga and whether scrapping 50+1 is the solution. DW's Felix Tamust joins James to explain the Bayern Munich problem before James hands it over to Matt Ford who speaks to Sebastian Uhrich, a professor of sports business administration, about scrapping the 50+1 rule.

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Having laid the foundation of knowledge in the first episode of season three, episode two looks at the 50+1 rule in action through two current examples. Ho-Yeon Kim explains how Cologne's members' board works and then James and DW's Felix Tamsut discuss the recent drama at Bayern Munich's annual AGM and its connection to the 50+1 rule.

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Season three of Project Fussball is here and this time our focus is on one of German football's most popular and yet complex rules: the 50+1 rule. In the opening episode of the new season, we lay the foundation of understanding for the rest of the season by asking what it is, how it works, why it's still so relevant in football today.

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The season two finale is here! Guest host Marcel Nadeem Aburakia is joined by former Borussia Dortmund legend and Germany international Patrick Owomoyela to discuss identity in German football. Both Marcel and Patrick talk about what it was like growing up and playing football in Germany and how racism in German football has changed over the years.

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In the penultimate episode of the season, James is joined by the unofficial mayor of Hanover and the official voice of the world's most popular football video game. Together former Hannover 96 legend Steve Cherundolo and renowned commentator Derek Rae discuss German football identity and its relationship with US soccer.

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On the day the 2021 Women's Bundesliga title is decided comes James' conversation with two-time German footballer of the year Celia Sasic. The former Germany striker talks about the evolution of identity in the women's game in Germany and why accessibility remains the most important starting point. James is also joined by DW colleague Barbara Mohr.

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Season two, episode two is timed to perfection. A day after Thomas Tuchel won the Champions League with Chelsea comes James' chat to German coaching legend Frank Wormuth about the way coaching has impacted German football identity and what sets German coaches apart. An episode for coaches and for all those interested in how big a role coaching plays in Germany's football identity.

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In the first episode of season two, James chats to goalkeeper Lutz Pfannenstiel about what it was like traveling the world to play football as a German. Did his nationality affect his experiences, did he miss Germany and what has he brought from his home country to help him in his role as sporting director at MLS expansion franchise St. Louis City SC? All that and some penguins in this episode.

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