RB Leipzig

History

2006–2009: Negotiations with various clubs and founding

Before investing in Leipzig, Red Bull GmbH, led by co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz, spent three and a half years looking for a suitable location to invest in German football. Besides Leipzig, the company also considered a location in Western Germany, exploring such cities as Hamburg, Munich and Düsseldorf.

The company made its first attempt to enter the German football scene in 2006. On the advice of Franz Beckenbauer, a personal friend of Dietrich Mateschitz, the company decided to invest in Leipzig. The local football club FC Sachsen Leipzig, successor to the former East German champions BSG Chemie Leipzig, had for years been in financial difficulties. Red Bull GmbH drew up plans to invest up to 50 million euros in the club. The company planned a takeover, with a change of the team's colours and club name. Involved in the arrangements was film entrepreneur Michael Kölmel, sponsor of FC Sachsen Leipzig and owner of the Zentralstadion. By 2006, FC Sachsen Leipzig played in the Oberliga, by then the fourth tier in the German football league system. Playing in the fourth tier, the club had to undergo the German Football Association (DFB) licensing procedure. Red Bull GmbH and the club were close to a deal, but the plans were vetoed by the DFB, which rejected the proposed new club name "FC Red Bull Sachsen Leipzig" fearing too much influence from the company. After months of fan protests against Red Bull's involvement, which deteriorated into violence, the company officially abandoned the plans.

Red Bull GmbH then turned to the former West Germany. The company made contact with Hamburg-based club FC St. Pauli, and met representatives of the club to discuss a sponsorship deal. A short time before, supporters of FC St. Pauli had participated in protests against Red Bull's takeover of SV Austria Salzburg. Once it became clear to the Hamburg side that the company had plans that went far beyond conventional sponsoring, it immediately ended the contact, and the question was never considered by the club's management. Red Bull then made contact with TSV 1860 Munich. Negotiations began behind closed doors, but the club was not interested in an investment and ended the discussions.

In 2007, Red Bull GmbH made plans to invest in Fortuna Düsseldorf, a traditional club with more than 100 years of history. The plans became public, and it was revealed that the company wanted to acquire more than 50 percent of the shares. Rumours spread that the company wanted to rename the club "Red Bull Düsseldorf", or similar. This was immediately met with protests from club supporters. As with FC Sachsen Leipzig, Red Bull's offer also ran into legal difficulties: the statutes of the DFB did not allow changing a club name for advertising purposes, nor for an external investor to obtain a majority share.

2009–2016: Rise through the divisions

After some previously scheduled games had to be canceled due to safety concerns, RB Leipzig played its first match on 10 July 2009, a friendly match against the Landesliga club SV Bannewitz. The match was played at the Stadion am Bad in Markranstädt and ended with a 5–0 win for RB Leipzig. The club played its first competitive match on 31 July 2009, in the first round of the Saxony Cup against VfK Blau–Weiß Leipzig, winning 5–0. The club then played its first league match away to FC Carl Zeiss Jena II on 8 August 2009. The match ended 1–1.

During the further course of the season, RB Leipzig suffered its first defeat on 13 September 2009, in a match against Budissa Bautzen. The club was claimed the title of Herbstmeister, as they stood in first place after the first half of the 2009–10 season. The team returned for the second half of the season stronger, having signed the experienced midfielder and 2. Bundesliga player Timo Rost from Energie Cottbus in January 2010. The team secured first place in the 2009–10 NOFV–Oberliga Süd at the 25th matchday, thus earning promotion to the 2010–11 Regionalliga Nord. The team finished the season with a goal difference of +57 (74 scored and 17 conceded), having suffered only two defeats. The playing right for the Regionalliga was issued by the DFB on 4 May 2010. RB Leipzig targeted a place in the 2010–11 DFB–Pokal, which would have been won by winning the 2009–10 Saxony Cup. The team reached the quarterfinals in the Saxony Cup, but was eliminated after a defeat against FSV Zwickau on 13 November 2009.

The incumbent chairman, Andreas Saldo, left the club in January 2010 and the position was assumed by the former Hamburger SV sporting director and incumbent sporting director for the common Red Bull football commitment Dietmar Beiersdorfer. One day after the last match of the 2009–10 season, Beiersdorfer released head coach Tino Vogel, assistant coach Lars Weißenberger and sporting director Joachim Krug from their positions. This action was done after Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz had announced a change in strategy. According to the new strategy, RB Leipzig was going to represent the key project in the football commitment of the company, in place of FC Red Bull Salzburg. Tomas Oral was announced as the new head coach on 18 June 2010.

The players Christian Mittenzwei, Sebastian Hauck, Stefan Schumann, Toni Jurascheck and Michael Lerchl did not receive new contracts for the following Regionalliga season, while players Frank Räbsch, Ronny Kujat and two other players ended their careers.

2016–present: Bundesliga era

RB Leipzig remained undefeated in the first thirteen league matches of the 2016–17 season, breaking a record for the longest undefeated streak of a promoted team to the Bundesliga. The team finished the 11th matchday in first place, and became the first team from the area of former East Germany to hold the leading position since the 1991–92 Bundesliga season, when Hansa Rostock stood at first place on 31 August 1991 and held the position for three matchdays, relinquishing it after a loss against FC Ingolstadt.

RB Leipzig became the first Bundesliga debutant, since German reunification, to qualify for a European tournament, doing so with a 4–0 win against SC Freiburg on 15 April 2017. They were also the first team from the former East Germany to qualify for a European tournament since 1. FC Union Berlin qualified for the 2001–02 UEFA Cup. Subsequently, Leipzig qualified for the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League after beating Hertha BSC 4–1 at the Olympiastadion on 6 May 2017, two days before the anniversary of the club's promotion to Bundesliga.

The following season, Leipzig finished in 6th position and also reached the quarterfinals of the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League competition, after being transferred from the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League group stage, which was finished in 3rd position. On 16 May 2018, Ralph Hasenhüttl resigned as head coach, after an extension of his contract was denied. Before the next season, Rangnick was announced as new coach for one year, to be followed by Julian Nagelsmann by the beginning of the 2019–20 season.

RB Leipzig finished the 2018–19 Bundesliga season in 3rd position, with a total of 66 points. This ensured them qualification in the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League. In addition, a win against Hamburger SV on 23 April 2019, RB Leipzig reached the DFB-Pokal final for the first time, where they faced Bayern Munich on 25 May. Bayern Munich thrashed RB Leipzig 3–0. On 1 June 2019, Rangnick announced his resignation as sporting director of RB Leipzig after seven years and moved to the Red Bull company as "Head of Sport and Development Soccer". His successor as sporting director was Markus Krösche.

In the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League, RB Leipzig won their group ahead of Lyon, Benfica and Zenit Saint Petersburg. After beating Tottenham Hotspur 4–0 on aggregate in the Round of 16, Leipzig then had a 2–1 win against Atlético Madrid in the quarter-final, with a late goal of American midfielder Tyler Adams, to reach the semi-final. But Paris Saint-Germain thrashed RB Leipzig 3–0 in the semi-final.

Colours and crest

RB Leipzig play in the traditional red and white colours of Red Bull football teams. All crests proposed at the club's founding were rejected by the Saxony Football Association (SFV), as they were considered copies of the corporate logo of Red Bull GmbH. The team therefore played its inaugural season in 2009–10 without a crest. RB Leipzig later proposed a new crest, which was eventually accepted by the SFV in May 2010. The crest was slightly different from the crests used by other Red Bull football teams. The two bulls had been altered in shape and a few strokes added. The crest was used from the 2010–11 Regionalliga season until the end of the 2013–14 3. Liga season. The German Football League (DFL) rejected it however, during the license procedure for the 2014–15 2. Bundesliga season. As part of a compromise with the DFL, the club agreed to redesign its crest and introduced the current crest. The current crest is significantly different from the crests used by other Red Bull football teams, although it is identical to the modified crest used by Red Bull Salzburg for international matches and due to UEFA regulations. The yellow sun has been changed in favor of a football and the initials of "RasenBallsport" have been relocated to the bottom of the crest and are no longer highlighted in red.

Sponsorship

‡ In cup and UEFA matches

Stadium

RB Leipzig played its inaugural season in 2009–10 at the Stadion am Bad in Markranstädt. The stadium held 5,000 seats and was the traditional home ground of SSV Markranstädt. But the plans were that the first team would quickly move to the far larger Zentralstadion, hopefully in 2010, after an advance to the Regionalliga. Red Bull GmbH reserved the naming right to the stadium at the club's founding, meaning that the name could not be sold to anyone else. The company negotiated the acquisition of the naming right during the successful 2009–10 season and the proposed new name was approved by the City of Leipzig on 25 March 2010. Red Bull GmbH then acquired the naming right and the Zentralstadion was renamed "Red Bull Arena" on 1 July 2010. The contract runs until 2040. The inauguration was held on 24 July 2010, in a friendly match against Schalke 04, in front of 21,566 spectators.

Red Bull Arena had a capacity of 44,345 seats during the 2014–15 season. In March 2015, RB Leipzig announced that it was going to invest 5 million euros in a redevelopment of the stadium, including an expansion of the VIP area, pressbox and wheelchair spaces. It also included two new larger LED score boards and refurbished player facilities. The VIP area was expanded from 700 seats to approximately 1400 seats. The capacity of Red Bull Arena was reduced to 42,959 seats before the 2015–16 season, due to redevelopment of various stadium areas.

The Red Bull Arena was an all-seater stadium for a long time. Home supporters are located in sector B. During the general meeting of the supporters' union in 2014, the assembly made a demand to convert sector B into a standing area. However, it was considered impossible to convert sector B into a standing area at the time, for structural reasons. Sector B was eventually converted into a standing area in the 2021–22 season.

Attendances

The 29 July 2011 first round 3–2 victory over VfL Wolfsburg was the club's first appearance in the 2011–12 DFB-Pokal; the 31,212 spectators gathered marked a club attendance record for the Red Bull Arena. The record did not stand long though; on 25 October 2011 Leipzig were defeated 1–0 by FC Augsburg, this second-round game of the DFB-Pokal set a new record attendance of 34,341 spectators.

The last home game of the 2013–14 3. Liga season on 3 May 2014 was a chance for RB Leipzig to secure direct promotion to the 2. Bundesliga; Leipzig romped home emphatically winning 5–1 against 1. FC Saarbrücken in a near-sell out capacity Red Bull Arena, in front of a record 42,713 spectators. The 43,348 spectators who watched the third round of the 2014–15 DFB-Pokal against VfL Wolfsburg on 4 March 2015, sold out the Red Bull Arena for the first time, setting the current club record for a match at the Red Bull Arena as of 2016.

RB Leipzig holds two attendance records. The 2011 Saxony Cup final against Chemnitzer FC on 1 June 2011 at the Red Bull Arena was attended by 13,958 spectators. The attendance set a new record for a Saxony Cup final. The record was broken two years later, again in a final between RB Leipzig and Chemnizer FC. The 2013 Saxony Cup final against Chemnitzer FC on 15 May 2013 at the Red Bull Arena was attended by 16,864 spectators. The second attendance record held by RB Leipzig was set during the 2012–13 season, in the qualification for the 3. Liga. The qualifying match against Sportfreunde Lotte on 29 May 2013 at the Red Bull Arena was attended by 30,104 spectators. The attendance set a new record for a match in the fourth tier of the German football league system.

RB Leipzig played its hundredth match at the Red Bull Arena on 4 October 2015, against 1. FC Nürnberg. At that point, the club reported a total attendance of 1,464,215 spectators, or an average of 14,643 spectators, for matches at the Red Bull Arena.

Their first Bundesliga home match was played on 10 September 2016 versus Borussia Dortmund in front of 42,558 spectators. In their debut season, the team averaged 41,454 spectators, or 97% of the stadium's capacity.

Expansion

In October 2014, German media reported that the club wanted to expand the Red Bull Arena to 55,000 seats for future first division Bundesliga play. An expansion to 55,000 seats would make the stadium one of the ten largest football venues in Germany. Who was to finance such an expansion remained unclear. German media considered that a possible option was that Red Bull GmbH buy the stadium to make the investments itself, but it was also considered unlikely that the current owner would be prepared to sell the stadium, which had just turned profitable.

The club had previously reserved an area near the A14 motorway north of Leipzig, close to the Leipzig/Halle Airport, which could be used to build a completely new stadium. It could also be used to put pressure on the current owner of the Red Bull Arena to agree to an expansion. In March 2015, German media reported the club considered building a new stadium on the area north of Leipzig. It could be modeled after the Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen or the Esprit Arena in Düsseldorf, with a significantly larger capacity than Red Bull arena, possibly up to 80,000 seats.

The current owner of Red Bull Arena, Michael Kölmel, commented on plans to build a new stadium in an interview in August 2015. He pointed out how a new stadium on the outskirts of Leipzig could be detrimental to fan culture, and said that Red Bull Arena could be expanded to 55,000 seats, or even more.

In October 2015, expansion of the Red Bull Arena was back on the agenda. New plans were made to expand the stadium to 57,000 seats, involving Viennese architect Albert Wimmer. Reconstruction could start over the summer break of 2016. In January 2016, the club decided to put the plans on hold, at least until 2017.

In February 2016, German newspaper Leipziger Volkszeitung reported that club management again considered the possibility of building a new stadium with a capacity of 80,000 seats north of Leipzig. However, a prerequisite for such a project would be that ticket demand exceed the supply of seats in the Red Bull Arena significantly and sustainably. A move to a new stadium could be possible in 2020, when the club's current contract to lease the Red Bull Arena expires.

In December 2016, RB Leipzig offered that the stadium would be sold by former owner Michael Kölmel to the club to continue the plans from the 2015 agenda. Due to the transfer of the arena into ownership of Red Bull, a new stadium would not be pursued. It was planned, that the stadium would expand to a total of 53,840 seats as of summer 2021, beginning from November 2018, when construction works started. However, the plans were changed during construction and the expansion work was completed in 2021 with a total capacity of 47,069 spectators, of which 37,069 can be seated, at national competitions.

Training centre

In 2010, Red Bull announced its intention to engage long term in Leipzig. In this context the club sought a location for a training centre and a youth academy. Towards the end of the year, the club made concrete plans to invest 30 million euros in a training centre comprising six pitches, offices and a youth academy. The training center was to be located at Cottaweg, partly on the area of the naturally protected riparian forest Leipziger Auwald and the site of the traditional fair Leipziger Kleinmesse. The plans met objections and concerns from environmental organizations and from the current users of the area, a Leipzig fairground association and the football club BSV Schönau 1983. After negotiations, the City of Leipzig agreed to the plans on 15 December 2010. RB Leipzig and the city of Leipzig later announced that the club was going to invest in an area of 92,000 square meters.

The construction was to be carried out in two phases and began in March 2011. During the first phase, three natural turf pitches, one artificial turf pitch and an artificial hill for physical exercises were built. All four pitches were installed with floodlights, irrigation system and soil heating. Pitch one was also provided with four 38-meter masts producing HD-compatible lightning for optimal television broadcasts. Locker rooms, sanitary facilities and weight rooms were installed in 60 containers, totaling 720 square meters. The first section of the training center was opened in August 2011.

The second phase of construction began in January 2014. The plans for the second phase were set to create one of Germany's largest training centers for an estimated cost of 35 million euros. Involved in the project was the Dortmund based architect Christoph Helbich, who had previously been involved in the building of a new training center for Borussia Dortmund. For the second phase, the training center was to be expanded with two pitches, an area for goalkeeping practices and a three-story 13,500 square meters sports complex, meant to offer amenities for all RB Leipzig teams, from the U8 team to the professional team. In addition, pitch one was to be provided with a covered grandstand with at least 1,000 seats, for A- and B-junior matches.

The sports complex was opened in September 2015 and is used by the professional team alongside six junior/youth academy teams, ranging from U14 to the reserve team. The facility includes an 800 square-meter indoor hall, an indoor tartan track for sprint training, weight rooms, cold chambers, a spa area, medical facilities, and individual relaxation rooms for first-team professional players. The complex also houses a media center, new offices, a boarding school for 50 youth players and a public café. At the time of its construction, the RB Leipzig training center with its sports complex was described by the media and journalists as one of the most modern facilities in Germany.

Supporters

Fanclubs and minor ultras

RB Leipzig has 68 official fanclubs as of August 2023. The first two to become registered as official fanclubs were L.E Bulls and Bulls Club, both registered in 2009. L.E Bulls is the oldest official fanclub, but Bulls Club claims to be the biggest. There are also several non-official fanclubs, such as Rasenballisten and Fraktion Red Pride. RB Leipzig also has a minor ultras scene, with groups such as Red Aces and Lecrats. The German newspaper Mitteldeutsche Zeitung reported that RB Leipzig had 5,000 organized supporters by March 2016.

Fan clubs and supporter groups are organized into a union called Fanverband RB Leipzig Fans, which was founded in 2013. This is an umbrella organization for official fan clubs, unofficial fan clubs and other groups. As of 2016, 25 supporter groups were organized in that union. Each group in the union is represented by two representatives. The representatives of the supporter groups meet every four to six weeks. The union also holds a general meeting once per year. Those who are not members of a supporter group are allowed to attend the general meeting. The union is represented by five to seven "fan representatives", elected every second year. A maximum of five "fan representatives" are elected by the representatives of the supporter groups, two additional "fan representatives" are elected by the general assembly. The "fan representatives" are permitted to speak with club officials to communicate ideas and criticism from the supporter base. In order to divide the work of the "fan representatives", the union has created several working groups. The first general meeting was held in November 2014, and gathered 350 supporters. Among those present were club officials, such as general manager Ulrich Wolter.

Several German newspapers have noted the emergence of distinctly nonconformist supporter groups at the Red Bull Arena. In January 2012, Leipziger Internet Zeitung reported on the appearance of ultra group Red Aces. The group members were said to see themselves as "Rasenballisten" and determined not to leave the supporter base solely to Red Bull GmbH. In May 2014, Der Tagesspiegel reported on supporter group IG Rasenballisten. The group was said to highly value the name "RasenBallsport" and to be committed to give the club an identity beyond that offered by Red Bull GmbH, and instead centered the city of Leipzig. In April 2015, Die Zeit reported further on this subject, particularly supporter groups IG Rasenballisten and Lecrats. Their central idea was described as "Rasenballismus", stressing the Leipzig identity and the importance of impassioned fans. Lecrats was described as geared towards the anti-commercial values of ultra culture and as critics of Red Bull GmbH. IG Rasenballisten and the ultra groups were said to consciously avoid the reductions that apply to official fanclubs and to reject official club merchandise and the commercial name of the stadium. In February 2015, the supporter group IG Rasenballisten became a registered voluntary association. The group had previously functioned as an interest community for other groups and individuals in the Red Bull Arena. The Mitteldeutsche Zeitung reported that the group describes itself as uniting fanatical and critical fans of RB Leipzig. Members of Rasenballisten said that the group does not hesitate to criticize Red Bull GmbH, when found necessary, and stated that the identity of a club cannot solely rely on the main sponsor. The group also makes a clear political statement: "Together for Leipzig – Rasenball against Racism", a statement which can be found on scarves sold by the group, and on a banner inside the stadium. RB Leipzig had previously refused to allow supporter groups such as Rasenballisten to sell their own merchandise at the stadium, but after lengthy negotiations, the club gave permission.

Fans at away sides

RB Leipzig supporters travelled in numbers to the first away match of 2016, against FC St. Pauli on 12 February 2016. Nearly 2,500 RB Leipzig supporters made their way to the Millerntorstadion and displayed a red and white flag tifo at the match start. A higher number of RB Leipzig supporters accompanied the team to Nuremberg one month later. The away match against 1. FC Nürnberg on 20 March 2016 at the Grundig-Stadion was attended by 2,800 RB Leipzig supporters, according to club statistics. The number set a new club record for away supporters, which was broken in the first two Bundesliga seasons. More than 7,000 supporters attended away matches in Dortmund, Munich and Berlin, with a one-year record at the away match in Berlin, when 8,500 supporters of RBL gathered to watch their team qualify for the UEFA Champions League. One year later, more than 9,000 fans travelled for the last away game of the 2017–18 season in Berlin.

Fanprojekt Leipzig

The organization Fanprojekt Leipzig was founded in 2011 by initiative of the city of Leipzig and is run by Outlaw gGmbH, full name Outlaw gemeinnützige Gesellschaft für Kinder- und Jugendhilfe mbH. Outlaw gGmbH is a Münster-based non-profit company for child and youth welfare. The basic framework of the Fanprojekt Leipzig was concluded by the City of Leipzig, the Free State of Saxony and the German Football Association (DFB), and the organization receives funding from the City of Leipzig and the DFB.

Fanprojekt Leipzig is an organization for young football fans of different clubs in Leipzig, and works as an independent institution towards the different clubs. The main areas for the organization are promoting a positive supporter culture, violence prevention, help for young supporters in problem situations and establishing communication between all parties involved, such as supporters, clubs, police and law enforcement. Fanprojekt Leipzig is part of a network of similar Fanprojekts in numerous German cities. The different Fanprojekts are supported by a national coordination office (KOS).

Fanprojekt Leipzig runs a number of centers in Leipzig used for purposes such as recreational activities, content projects, painting and creation of minor choreographies, and as meeting places. For each club, the organization offers a social worker or pedagogue who works exclusively with supporters of that club. The organization carries out a variety of recreational and educational activities, including sporting activities, creative projects, readings and discussions and educational programs. The organization has presence during match days, where it is available for personal contact by supporters, police and law enforcement, with the aim to be able to mediate between the parties and have a de-escalating effect.

RB Leipzig entered a cooperation agreement with Fanprojekt Leipzig in 2013. The cooperation agreement involves collaboration in eight categories, involving both home and away matches, as well as anti-racism work. The detailed cooperation agreement was by then a novelty in Germany. In addition, the RB Leipzig formed a stadium ban commission, in which Fanprojekt Leipzig provides advice to the club. Fanprojekt Leipzig has also arranged a number of events, in which supporters can discuss the development of the supporter scene, and whose results are presented for the club.

Organization and finance

Association

RasenballSport Leipzig e.V is a registered voluntary association. Its executive body is the Vorstand, the management board. The management board is appointed by the Ehrenrat, the honorary board. It is also subordinated to the Aufsichtsrat, the supervisory board. The honorary board is elected directly by club members at the general meeting.

Significant organizational changes were made in 2014, following requirements set up by the German Football League (DFL). One of the requirements was to change the composition of organizational bodies. Both the management board and the honorary board had been composed by either employees or agents of Red Bull. This effectively contradicted fundamental principles of the 50+1 rule, as interpreted by the DFL, and which aims to forbid the influence of third parties on the sporting decisions of a club. As a part of a compromise with the DFL, the club made a binding declaration that it said was intended to ensure that the management board would be occupied by a majority of persons independent of Red Bull.

In addition, a supervisory board was added. The honorary board had performed tasks normally performed by a separate controlling organizational body. These functions were now transferred to a newly created supervisory board, capable of performing these tasks independently. The club decided to transfer the former members of the honorary board to the newly created supervisory board.

The association is responsible for men's junior teams from U8 to U14 and all women's football teams.

Voting membership is severely restricted. In contrast to all other association football clubs in Germany, there is no official way to become a voting member of RasenballSport Leipzig e.V. According to Ulrich Wolter, the club does not aspire towards the high number of members of other clubs. Wolter has also pointed at other clubs, where Ultras have succeeded in creating structures, and stated that the club absolutely wants to avoid such conditions.

For the establishment of a registered voluntary association, an association is required by German law to have at least seven members. Four years after its founding, the club had only 9 members, all employees of Red Bull. By 2014 the registration fee for membership stood at 100 euros and the annual membership fee at 800 euros, in comparison to Bayern Munich who, by that time, offered membership at annual fees between 30 and 60 euros. In addition to this, a person willing to pay the fee could not expect to become a member, since the management board could reject an application without notice.

GmbH

On 2 December 2014, the general meeting of the association voted unanimously for the founding of a spin-off organization in the form of a GmbH. The decision was taken at an extraordinary meeting. Present were 14 voting members and 40 "supporting members". Chairman Oliver Mintzlaff stated that the change was made for the club to be able to step up professionally and to remain competitive. The RasenballSport Leipzig GmbH is responsible for the professional team, the reserve team and men's junior teams from U15 and above.

As of 2015, Red Bull GmbH is the main shareholder of RasenballSport Leipzig GmbH, holding 99 percent of the shares. The remaining one percent is held by the association. However, as required by the 50 + 1 rule, formal power lies with the association, which holds the majority of votes.

As of April 2016, the general manager of RasenballSport Leipzig GmbH was Oliver Mintzlaff.

Sponsorship

RB Leipzig's kits were first provided by German sportswear brand Adidas from the club's founding. In 2014, the club switched to the American sportswear brand Nike, in an agreement that was expected to be in place until at least 2025. In October 2014, the club also entered into promotional agreements with Hugo Boss, Porsche as youth sponsor, and Volkswagen for stadium commercials. On 20 May 2016, RB Leipzig extended its contract with Krostitzer Brauerei to be its official beer partner until 2018.

Joint donation, with Dortmund, Bayern and Leverkusen

In March 2020, RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen, the four German UEFA Champions League teams for the 2019–20 season, collectively gave €20 million to Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga teams that were struggling financially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Players

Current squad

As of 3 September 2026

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Notable players

Most appearances

Statistics correct as of 16 May 2026.

The ten players with the most appearances are listed.

Appearances include matches in all competitions.

Appearances include substitute appearances.

Players marked in bold are still playing for the club.

Top goalscorers

Statistics correct as of 9 May 2026.

The ten players with the most goals are listed.

Players marked in bold are still playing for the club.

Captains

Players marked in bold are still playing for the club.

Staff

Current staff

As of 22 June 2026

Coach history

Notes

Interim coach.

Season history

European competitions

Having finished as runners-up in their debut season in the German top flight, RB Leipzig gained entry to continental football for the first time, specifically the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League. RB Leipzig is one of the first clubs to qualify for the Champions League so soon (eight years) after its creation. The campaign also saw Red Bull Salzburg qualify as Austrian champions; this raised the issue of a possible conflict of interest between the clubs due to the level of influence exerted by Red Bull over both teams and the close sporting relationship between them in various aspects. After examining the operational structures during June 2017, UEFA declared themselves satisfied under their regulations that the two clubs (particularly Salzburg) were suitably independent from the Red Bull corporation, and sufficiently distinct from one another, for both be admitted to their competitions.

In the first season following that ruling, both reached the quarter-finals of the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League but did not play each other, with RB Leipzig eliminated by Marseille, who then also knocked out Salzburg in the semi-finals. However, in the next edition of the same competition, RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg were drawn together in Group B to meet competitively for the first time. Salzburg won both fixtures between the clubs (3–2 in Germany, 1–0 in Austria), and also won all their other matches to top the group, while Leipzig failed to progress after dropping further points against Celtic and Rosenborg.

As of 1 May 2026

RB Leipzig affiliated teams

RB Leipzig has several affiliated teams, including a women's team, and junior and academy teams.

Relationship with Red Bull Salzburg

In 2005, Red Bull bought a club in Salzburg, Austria and renamed them Red Bull Salzburg (so named to circumvent local rules on corporate naming) with the aim of establishing a leading branded team in that country in a similar mould to its existing franchises in Salzburg and other locations. Over the next decade, Leipzig became the owners' main football project, and the close relationship between the teams was exemplified by the number of players moving between them (Georg Teigl, Marcel Sabitzer, Yordy Reyna, and Stefan Ilsanker all transferred from Salzburg to Leipzig) with some of the Austrian fans becoming increasingly annoyed at their best players being signed by the 'step-sibling' club in their mission to climb through the levels of German football. There are also links between their youth systems and scouting networks.

Having finished as runners-up in their debut season in the German top flight, RB Leipzig gained entry to continental football for the first time, specifically the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League for which Red Bull Salzburg had also qualified as Austrian champions; this raised the issue of a possible conflict of interest between the clubs due to the level of influence exerted by Red Bull over both teams and the close sporting relationship between them in various aspects. After examining the operational structures during June 2017, UEFA declared themselves satisfied under their regulations that the two clubs (particularly Salzburg) were suitably independent from the Red Bull corporation, and sufficiently distinct from one another, for both to be admitted to their competitions. In the first season following that ruling, both reached the quarter-finals of the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League but did not play each other, with RB Leipzig eliminated by Marseille, who then also knocked out Salzburg in the semi-finals. However, in the next edition of the same competition, RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg were drawn together in Group B to meet competitively for the first time. Salzburg were the victors in both fixtures between the clubs (3–2 in Germany, 1–0 in Austria) and also won all their other matches to top the group, while Leipzig failed to progress after dropping further points against Celtic and Rosenborg. In December 2020, Dominik Szoboszlai poised to become the second RB Salzburg player to move to RB Leipzig in space of six months, after Hwang Hee-chan completed the switch in summer. In 2023, they completed deals of both Nicolas Seiwald (€20,000,000) and Benjamin Šeško (€24,000,000) from Salzburg for a total of €54,000,000.

Honours

Domestic

Bundesliga

Runners-up: 2016–17, 2020–21

2. Bundesliga (II)

Runners-up: 2015–16

3. Liga (III)

Runners-up: 2013–14

Regionalliga Nordost (IV)

Winners: 2012–13

NOFV-Oberliga Süd (V)

Winners: 2009–10

DFB-Pokal

Winners: 2021–22, 2022–23

Runners-up: 2018–19, 2020–21

DFL-Supercup

Winners: 2023

Runners-up: 2022

Saxony Cup

Winners: 2010–11, 2012–13

Affiliated clubs

The following clubs are currently affiliated with RB Leipzig:

Red Bull Salzburg (2009–present)

New York Red Bulls (2009–present)

Red Bull Brasil (2009–2024)

Red Bull Bragantino (2020–present)

Goa (2020–2023)

Omiya Ardija (2024–present)

The following clubs were affiliated with RB Leipzig in the past:

SSV Markranstädt (2009–2010)

Red Bull Ghana (2009–2014)

ESV Delitzsch (2010–2011)

Criticism

The establishment of RB Leipzig has led to much criticism in Germany, particularly regarding the involvement of Red Bull GmbH and its restrictive membership policy. This has been seen by German football fans as contrary to common practice in the country, where clubs have traditionally relied on voluntary registered associations, with sometimes a very large number of members, and where the 50 + 1 rule has ensured that club members have a formal controlling stake. RB Leipzig has received criticism relating to perceptions that it was founded as a marketing tool and that it increased the commercialization of football in Germany. The club has been rejected as a "marketing club", a "commercial club" or a "plastic club". This criticism has been widespread, and includes people in the management and among coaches and supporters of other clubs.

Supporters of other Leipzig football clubs, such as Lokomotive Leipzig and Sachsen Leipzig, protested against the creation of RB Leipzig. They feared a decline of traditional fan culture in Leipzig, and a commercialization of football in the region. After the partnership with SSV Markranstädt became known, protests immediately appeared in Leipzig suburbs. Red Bull advertising boards at the Stadion am Bad in Markranstädt were smeared with graffiti and a weed killer placed on the pitch to purposely ruin it. Protests in Leipzig were generally non-violent. Despite RB Leipzig playing its inaugural season in 2009–10 in the same league as Lokomotive Leipzig and Sachsen Leipzig, criticism from these clubs was moderate. Lokomotive Leipzig chairman Steffen Kubald, nevertheless, said that the match against RB Leipzig would for each team be the match of the season, and referred to RB Leipzig as the "Bayern Munich of the Oberliga" (fifth tier of German football).

The German economist Dr. Tobias Kollman said in 2009 that he saw Red Bull GmbH as a company with clear economic goals for its projects. Consequently, he described RB Leipzig as a "marketing club" and said that it was the first of this kind in Germany. He described the activities of Red Bull GmbH in Leipzig as a "sports political earthquake" in Germany. Borussia Dortmund chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke and Eintracht Frankfurt chairman Heribet Bruchhagen, speaking in 2013 of a "clash of culture", warned that clubs backed by major companies or financially strong patrons could pose a threat to the entire Bundesliga. They said that such clubs would set traditional clubs backwards, and warned that RB Leipzig would be responsible for pushing a traditional club out of the Bundesliga. Hans-Joachim Watzke, speaking in 2014, characterized RB Leipzig's activities and the way it behaved as "morally questionable", referring to its transfer policy in close cooperation with FC Red Bull Salzburg, using its signing of Marcel Sabitzer as an example. Hans-Joachim Watzke said he was not an opponent of RB Leipzig, that appreciated the idea of a Bundesliga club from Saxony, and that the club was welcome for as long as the German Football Association (DFB) ensured that RB Leipzig complied with the "democratic rules of football" and the club finances its own operations. A fiercer critic, Peter Neururer, head coach of VfL Bochum, said in 2014 that RB Leipzig "made him sick" and that he considered the club to be built on purely economical interests. He further stated that competing with RB Leipzig was not a fair deal, because the club could sign the players it wanted, and that such competition "had nothing to do with the sport that we love".