TSV 1860 Munich loses 3rd Division license – TSV Havelse could move up

In a statement signed by the outgoing managing director and board member Florian Riedel, the club cited the ongoing legal dispute with the majority shareholder. According to the statement, 1860 was unable to demonstrate the economic prerequisites for the third-division license in the form required by the association. The club regretted the decision and announced that it would examine all legal options.

Background of the License Dispute

In parallel, TSV Havelse submitted all licensing documents on time. A statement from the Lower Saxony club reads: "TSV Havelse has submitted all necessary documents for the 3rd Division, the Regionalliga Nord, and the U19 youth league to the DFB and NFV respectively on time and in full and has participated in the respective licensing and admission procedures." This means the club from Garbsen has met the formal requirements to be ready to play in the event of moving up.

However, the club's home ground is not yet ready for the 3rd Division. According to available information, the Wilhelm-Langrehr-Stadion in Garbsen currently does not meet the DFB's requirements for matches in the third-highest German league. Should Havelse take the spot, renovations or an alternative stadium would be necessary.

Infrastructure as a Hurdle

According to the statement, the club is planning to use the Eilenriedestadion in Hanover as an alternative venue. In the letter signed by Florian Riedel, the club also expressly thanked a neighboring club: "We expressly thank the management of our neighbor Hannover 96 for the trusting and supportive cooperation." The cooperation with the higher-ranked neighbor is considered a possible logistical support for a third-division start.

Havelse was relegated from the 3rd Division at the end of the past season and is the best-placed among the four relegated teams. If the license is definitively denied to 1860, Havelse would have the opportunity to take the vacant spot according to DFB statutes. Prerequisites would include the economic and infrastructural capability of the applicant.

Aue and the Competitors

FC Erzgebirge Aue was also relegated from the 3rd Division and had hoped to remain in the league. However, at present, these hopes appear to have been dashed. The club from the Ore Mountains had also speculated on a vacant spot but is likely to fall behind Havelse in the rankings.

The stalemate surrounding Munich has thus seen an initial formal clarification. The DFB has repeatedly emphasized in the past that the economic performance of clubs takes precedence over purely sporting interests. With the denied proof of liquidity, 1860 now lacks the central prerequisite for admission.

Should Havelse indeed move up, those responsible would have to find short-term solutions for stadium capacity, safety regulations, and match operations. Time is of the essence: the DFB plans to start the new season in a few weeks. Without proof of infrastructural suitability, Havelse's license remains formally conditional.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, 1860 Munich e.V. is facing a severe test. The dispute with Hasan Ismaik, who has been the majority shareholder of the divested professional football division for years, is considered the core of the conflict. Should the club fail to secure the license through legal means, the traditional club faces relegation to the fourth division.

For TSV Havelse, promotion to the 3rd Division would be the greatest success in the club's history. The club from the Hanover region has played in lower leagues for decades and first managed to break into professional football in 2025. The possible stay would come as a surprise to those in charge but is not formally excluded.