Hannover 96, a prominent club in the second division of German soccer, has announced a significant leadership change just before the Christmas holiday. Jörg Schmadtke, a seasoned executive with prior experience in the top-tier Bundesliga, is returning to the club. He will assume the role of Sporting director, overseeing both the professional team and the club’s youth academy.
this transition is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, with Schmadtke’s contract extending through February 28, 2029. Schmadtke, a former goalkeeper, previously held key decision-making positions at Hannover from May 2009 to April 2013. During his initial tenure,he served as Sporting Director and later as Managing Director. Notably, he was instrumental in assembling the squad that achieved a fourth-place finish in the 2010/11 Bundesliga season, securing a spot in the Europa League.
Schmadtke’s most recent role was as Sporting Director for the renowned English club Liverpool FC, a position he held until February 2024. Prior to that, he gained valuable experience as managing Director for 1. FC Köln and VfL Wolfsburg. His executive career began at Alemannia Aachen.
Reflecting on his return,Schmadtke stated,Now it’s about getting to work quickly. First of all, I would like to quickly get a comprehensive picture and will have a lot of discussions to get to know the internal processes, structures and perspectives.
Martin Kind, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Hannover 96 GmbH & Co. KGaA, expressed his satisfaction with the appointment. I am very happy that in Jörg Schmadtke we were able to gain a specialist with great experience to shape the sporting future of Hannover 96,
Kind commented. He further described Schmadtke as someone who embodies structured approach, decision-making power and, as an inevitable result, triumphant work.
Kind also highlighted Schmadtke’s familiarity with the club and its environment, anticipating a swift integration into his new responsibilities.
The outgoing Sporting Director, Marcus Mann, departs Hannover after four and a half years to join Europa League participant Red Bull Salzburg. In Salzburg, Mann will be responsible for the club’s sporting operations, succeeding Rouven Schröder, who has moved to Borussia Mönchengladbach. The financial terms of Mann’s transfer have not been disclosed. Mann was under contract with Hannover until the summer of 2029.
