"Wenn man auf die Geschichte der Löwen schaut, gehört es fast schon zur DNA, dass nach einem Hoch ein Tief folgt."
The years after the Bundesliga's founding were also pretty much the most successful in the club's history. In 1964, TSV won the DFB-Pokal, and in 1965, they reached the final of the European Cup Winners' Cup, where they were, however, defeated by West Ham United.
In 1965/66, the Lions celebrated their first and to this day only league title in an exciting season finale.
However, after finishing as runners-up in 1966/67 and reaching the second round of the European Cup – now known as the Champions League – the success story ended.
"It's almost in their DNA that..."
In 1970, 1860 were relegated to the Regionalliga, then the second-highest division in Germany, where they remained until 1977. Then they managed to return to the Bundesliga.
Between 1978 and 1982, TSV was relegated twice (1978, 1981) from the top flight, before their license was revoked in 1982 due to financial reasons, and the club was forced to descend into the third-tier Bayernliga.
After many years in the third tier, a looming relegation to the Landesliga, and a brief upward trend in 1991, Werner Lorant achieved a major breakthrough. Within two seasons, Lorant coached the Lions from the third division back into the Bundesliga.
"If you look at the history of the Lions, it's almost in their DNA that a low follows a high," says Kilian Kreitmair.
The coach, who passed away in April 2025, orchestrated the return to the top flight after 13 years, earning him the status of a club legend. To this day, he is held in high esteem by the supporters; a choreography was dedicated to him just days after his death.
Beginning of the Ongoing Downward Spiral
With the promotion began Sechzig's last successful era to date. The club remained in the top flight for ten years, even playing in the UEFA Cup, the predecessor of today's UEFA Europa League, in the 2000/01 season.
However, in 2004, they were once again relegated to the 2. Bundesliga, which also brought with it economic concerns. The joint construction of the Allianz Arena with city rivals FC Bayern Munich played a significant role. The project put the club under enormous financial pressure. So much so that 1860 had to sell its 50 percent shares to Bayern in 2006.
However, the overall situation did not ease. While the sporting goal of returning to the Bundesliga was missed, there were constant disputes and personnel changes within the management.
Investor Hasan Ismaik's Entry
Due to the continuously strained financial situation, which led to several player sales during the 2010/11 season, the contract with investor Hasan Ismaik was finally signed on May 30, 2011. A name that continues to polarize to this day.
Many supporters hoped for a major turnaround from this, as Ismail declared upon his entry: "We want to make Sechzig strong, we no longer want financial holes, we want to be in the first division within three years."
However, these hopes were not fulfilled, and the unrest remained. Time and again, there were public disagreements between the club and investor Ismaik.
"The fact that the past years turned into a downward spiral certainly has to do with the strained relationship between investor Hasan Ismaik and the parent club. Since his entry, a shared vision has been lacking. Often, they worked against each other instead of with each other. Additionally, there are the high expectations that fans have for the club," explains Kreitmair.
Conflicts and Unmet Goals
The years following the investor's entry were marked by numerous personnel changes, conflicts, and unachieved sporting goals. For instance, in the summer of 2015, the board resigned due to failed negotiations with Ismaik and the once again missed promotion.
Between 2010 and the end of 2016, a total of 14 different coaches were on the sidelines for the Munich club. Despite many investments in the squad, the hoped-for sporting success failed to materialize.
"Es kam in den vergangenen Jahren von verschiedenen Seiten zu Fehlentscheidungen. Ob das die Besetzung von Geschäftsführern war oder auch Transfers, die nicht so aufgingen, wie man sich das wünschte."
In 2017, TSV was relegated from the German 2. Bundesliga after losing the playoff against SSV Jahn Regensburg. The amount required for the 3. Liga license was not deposited on time, which meant forced relegation to the fourth-tier Regionalliga. The reason for this was disagreements between the club and the investor.
A Glimmer of Hope
In 2017/18, the Munich club achieved immediate promotion back to the 3. Liga. A brief glimmer of hope that the club could become stable long-term, both financially and sportingly.
However, off the pitch, the power struggles and constant background noise persisted, often overshadowing the sporting aspects. Promotion to the German 2. Bundesliga was missed several times (narrowly) in the following years.
"In recent years, wrong decisions were made from various sides. Whether it was the appointment of managing directors or transfers that didn't work out as desired," Kreitmair elaborates.
"Mit der Rückkehr von Kevin Volland und Florian Niederlechner haben die Verantwortlichen eine Euphorie erzeugt, wie sie Jahre in Giesing nicht spürbar war. Die Fans haben an den Aufstieg in die 2. Bundesliga geglaubt. "
"The Black Wednesday"
Then, on June 3, 2026, came the big shock: TSV 1860 Munich's license for the 3. Liga was revoked, and the club had to move into amateur football. Lions fans call this day "Black Wednesday," reveals Kreitmair.
Just a few hours after this news, the next piece of bad news followed: main sponsor "Die Bayrische" ended its cooperation with the club, which, from his point of view, "came somewhat surprisingly, but was understandable."
Kreitmair states: "If you look at the entire past season, one wouldn't necessarily have expected this last June. With the return of Kevin Volland and Florian Niederlechner, the officials generated an euphoria not felt in Giesing for years. Fans believed in promotion to the 2. Bundesliga. And internally, that was precisely stated as the goal. That the season ends in amateur football is therefore a shock, especially for many fans. On the other hand, it must be said that the investor issue was always present in the background, and no permanent solution was found."
The Next Escalation: Insolvency
Just a few weeks after the license revocation, the KGaA filed for insolvency. To clarify: not the entire club is affected by the insolvency; the ongoing proceedings exclusively concern the spun-off professional football division (KGaA). The registered association (e. V.) is separate from it.
The background? On the one hand, the over-indebtedness of the KGgA, particularly due to liabilities to investor and lender Hasan Ismaik, and on the other, acute insolvency. A total of 7.3 million was missing to secure operations for the upcoming season.
An insolvency administrator must now examine the financial situation and decide whether the KGaA can still be restructured. Meanwhile, the parent club is already working on its own solution. The e. V. founded its own football operations company to enable a fresh start in the fourth-tier Regionalliga.
What's Next?
After its renewed fall into amateur football, TSV 1860 Munich faces another new beginning. A return to professional football? For Kreitmair, "a realistic scenario." But it would require "unity and a clear vision."
Moreover, one should not spend too much time in amateur football, as the lower leagues are hardly economically viable for clubs due to decreasing sponsorship revenues and lower TV money. The interest from fans, but especially from the public, could also decline with a second season in the Regionalliga.
The fact is: The negative development of TSV 1860 Munich is not only a watershed moment for the club itself but also a cautionary tale for other clubs.
History, fans, and money – all of that alone is not enough. What is needed is a common path where all parties pull in the same direction. This is precisely what the Lions repeatedly failed to achieve in recent years.
