Investor dispute escalates: Ismaik fails to pay, 1860 Munich faces collapse

TSV 1860 Munich is in shock after its bid for a 3. Liga license failed, according to the club. The "Lions" state they did not receive the necessary liquidity proof from their investor, Hasan Ismaik, by the German Football Federation (DFB) deadline.

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Sad day.

This failure means the traditional club will likely be relegated to the Fußball-Regionalliga for the second time, mirroring the events of 2017. The club cited Ismaik's unfulfilled financing commitment as the cause, with an estimated 2.7 million euros missing for the license.

Investor Hasan Ismaik reportedly expressed regret via WhatsApp, calling it a "sad day." He had previously hoped for a solution to keep the team in the third division. However, the club's management is now focused on building a competitive squad for the Regionalliga.

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I regret the non-fulfillment of the financing commitment by the shareholder HAM International. Until the very end, I was firmly convinced that a solution in the interest of the professional football company could be found. Unfortunately, this wish has not been fulfilled.

The situation is a painful déjà vu for the club, which also faced a licensing crisis in 2017 after being relegated from the 2. Bundesliga. At that time, Ismaik, who has consistently opposed the 50+1 rule, refused to make the necessary payment, forcing a restart in the Regionalliga. This time, Ismaik reportedly rescinded loan agreements and presented a list of demands, linking funding to significant concessions. The club's management is pursuing legal action against the termination of these agreements and is working with experts to maintain operations and develop future prospects with sponsors.

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We will now focus all our energy on building a strong squad for the coming season in the Regionalliga Bayern.