Official | Borussia Dortmund part ways with sporting director Sebastian Kehl with immediate effect

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·22 Maret 2026

Official | Borussia Dortmund part ways with sporting director Sebastian Kehl with immediate effect

Borussia Dortmund have announced that they have parted ways with sporting director Sebastian Kehl with immediate effect.

Kehl has been associated with the club for over 20 years, first joining as a player in 2002, before switching to a director role in 2018 and then replacing Michael Zorc as sporting director in 2022.

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On leaving the club, Kehl said:

“Borussia Dortmund has been a part of my life for half my life, and I have an extremely strong connection to this great club. Nevertheless, we have now jointly come to the conclusion that it’s time to move forward – both for BVB and for me. Lars, Carsten, and I reached this decision today after a constructive discussion. I owe Borussia Dortmund a great deal and am proud to have been part of the BVB family for around 24 years. During this time, I was able to celebrate so many incredible successes with the club, its staff, and its fantastic fans, and it will forever make me proud to be a part of the club’s history. The groundwork has been laid, and I wish the club all the very best in its restructuring and continued success. Borussia Dortmund, the incredible stadium, and the South Stand will always hold a special place in my heart. It has been an honor.”

It was reported last week that there is consistent tension between the director of sport, Lars Ricken and Kehl, and the future of the latter was in the hands of the former. On the decision to part ways with his former teammate, Ricken said:

“In a very open discussion, Sebastian Kehl, Carsten Cramer, and I came to the shared conclusion that the summer is the right time for changes. To allow both sides to prepare, we mutually agreed to an immediate termination of Sebastian’s contract. Sebastian and I also share a long history. We not only played together for Borussia Dortmund, but also won the German championship together in 2002. Sebastian has made an enormous contribution to our club, and we are very grateful for his great commitment.”

What next for Dortmund and Kehl?

There have been doubts about Kehl’s work for a while, and with his contract due to expire in 2027, there were doubts on whether it would be extended. Add to this, the former midfielder has been linked as the replacement for Stefan Kuntz at Hamburg. Whether the odd timing of this decision to part ways with Kehl is linked to a potential move to HSV is yet to be seen.

For Dortmund, the one name that will continue to gain traction now will be Markus Krösche. There has previously been contact between the Eintracht Frankfurt sporting CEO and die Schwarzgelben, and whether this will materialise is yet to be seen.

This could also have an effect on the planning for the summer, as there is now no one leading the squad planning, so a replacement must be found soon, or this summer could be messy for Dortmund.

GGFN | Jack Meenan