DFB opens formal talks with Jürgen Klopp for Germany coach role

The German Football Association said Saturday that it has opened formal talks with Jürgen Klopp about becoming Germany coach and that the two sides have already reached agreement on key points of a possible contract, though no appointment has been made and significant approvals are still required.

In a statement published July 11, the DFB said President Bernd Neuendorf and Vice President Hans-Joachim Watzke met Klopp in New York on July 10 for what it described as an initial, intense discussion about his possible takeover of the national team. The federation said the meeting produced an understanding on essential terms of a potential deal.

Two hurdles remain before any agreement could become official. The DFB said negotiations are contingent on reaching an arrangement with Klopp’s current employer, Red Bull, where he holds a senior soccer role. Any contract would also need formal approval at a joint meeting of the supervisory board and the shareholders’ representatives of DFB GmbH & Co. KG, the federation’s commercial entity.

The DFB said talks will continue next week and that both sides are confident the negotiations can ultimately be completed successfully. But Saturday’s statement was not an appointment announcement. It amounted to confirmation that discussions are advanced and that partial agreement on contract terms has been reached, not that Klopp has been hired.

The vacancy opened only days ago. On July 3, the DFB announced that Julian Nagelsmann had left the Germany job with immediate effect after the team’s round-of-32 exit at the 2026 World Cup. In that statement, the federation said it would seek talks with Klopp and said he had already signaled a basic willingness to take the post.

That made Klopp the standout candidate from the start. He is one of the most prominent German managers of his generation, having won league titles with Borussia Dortmund before adding major honors at Liverpool, including the Champions League and Premier League. For the DFB, his record and profile make him an obvious target at a moment when the national team is trying to recover quickly from another disappointing tournament.

His current position, however, is what makes this process more complicated than a standard coaching search. Because Klopp is employed by Red Bull in a senior soccer capacity, the DFB cannot simply finalize terms directly with him and announce a hire. It first needs Red Bull’s agreement, then its own internal sign-off through the federation’s governance structure.

For now, the clearest development is that the DFB has moved beyond exploratory interest. It has now publicly confirmed direct talks with Klopp, said progress has been made on the framework of a potential contract and indicated that negotiations will continue in the coming days.