DFL pushes U21 league plans as Klopp, Eberl and Krösche drive youth reform

The Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) is reportedly planning to launch a dedicated U21 league to help bridge the gap between youth and senior professional football in Germany.

German football could be heading for a significant structural change at youth level! Behind the scenes, the DFL is working on plans for a new U21 league from the 2026/27 season – a project shaped by some of the most influential figures in the game. The proposed competition is designed to strengthen the transition from academy football to the professional level and has emerged as a central outcome of an expert group tasked with redefining future priorities in player development.

The group includes some of the most influential figures in German football, among them are RB Leipzig’s global football head Jürgen Klopp, Bayern Munich board member for sport Max Eberl, Eintracht Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krösche, DFL managing director Marc Lenz, DFB sporting director Andreas Rettig, and 2014 World Cup winner Sami Khedira. Their collective experience from coaching, squad planning, administration and elite-level competition has shaped the framework of the project.

According to Lenz, internal discussions within the league association have recently focused heavily on sporting trends, particularly in the area of youth development. The aim, he explained last autumn, is to draw the right conclusions together as a collective – with the expert group expected to provide decisive momentum and fresh perspectives for future reforms.

The new U21 league is supposed to be the German equivalent to the English Premier League 2.

If approved by the professional clubs at the DFL general meeting in March 2026, the U21 league would be introduced for German teams on a voluntary basis and designed as a complementary competition rather than a replacement for existing second teams. The proposed format splits the season into two phases, with the best sides from each half advancing to a Final Four to decide the overall winner.

From a developmental standpoint, flexibility is central to the concept. Clubs would be able to manage playing time more precisely through unlimited substitutions, include a small number of over-age players, and avoid excessive travel demands. Supporters of the idea believe this structure would provide young players with more meaningful competitive minutes at a decisive stage of their careers, while still allowing clubs to tailor development pathways individually.

Driven by figures such as Klopp, Eberl and Krösche, the initiative reflects a broader recognition within German football that the transition from academy level to the professional game needs stronger structural support. The proposed U21 league is seen as a practical response – one shaped by experience at the highest level and aimed at securing long-term sporting quality.