Jörg Schmadtke Resigns from Hannover 96 After Only 81 Days in Office

Jörg Schmadtke is leaving Hannover 96 as sporting managing director on March 31, 2026, after only 81 days in the role, the Lower Saxony club announced on Sunday. The separation was described as mutual, with no reasons given in the club's brief statement. Schmadtke, 62, had only returned to German professional football on Christmas Eve 2025, when Hannover announced him as the successor to Marcus Mann. His contract had originally been set to run until February 28, 2029. The abrupt departure comes in the middle of the club's promotion push in the 2. Bundesliga.

Bindzus and Becker step in on interim basis Managing director Henning Bindzus and sporting director Ralf Becker will take over Schmadtke's duties on an interim basis, the club confirmed. The club's supervisory bodies will decide "in due course on a new appointment" to the position, according to the statement. Schmadtke had held responsibility for the licensed team and the 96 academy since January 1, 2026, having succeeded Marcus Mann, who departed to join RB Salzburg in Austria. The club emphasized in its statement that "for Hannover 96, the realization of the sporting goals of the current season continues to take priority." Under head coach Christian Titz, Hannover currently sits fifth in the 2. Bundesliga table, just two points behind a direct promotion place.

Schmadtke's first Hannover stint ended with Europa League runs Schmadtke's departure marks the end of a second chapter at a club where he previously enjoyed considerable success. He first served at Hannover from May 2009 to April 2013, initially as sporting director and from March 2011 as managing director. During that period, he assembled the squad that finished fourth in the Bundesliga in the 2010/11 season, qualifying for the Europa League, with the club also competing in European competition in the two seasons that followed. After leaving Hannover the first time, Schmadtke went on to work as managing director at 1. FC Köln and VfL Wolfsburg before taking up the role of sporting director at Liverpool FC, a position he held until February 2024. His managerial career began at Alemannia Aachen.

Hannover 96 was a regular Bundesliga presence during Schmadtke's first tenure, with the club's fourth-place finish in 2010/11 representing one of the high points of its recent history. The club has since been relegated from the top flight and has spent recent seasons competing for promotion back to the Bundesliga. Schmadtke's return in January 2026 was seen as a signal of renewed ambition, given his track record of building competitive squads at multiple German clubs.

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Promotion race continues despite boardroom upheaval The timing of the exit is notable, with Hannover still in contention for a return to the Bundesliga with weeks remaining in the season. Christian Titz, who has been head coach of Hannover 96 since the 2025/26 season, continues to lead the team through the promotion race. 2 (points) — gap between Hannover 96 and a direct promotion place The club's statement made clear that sporting objectives will not be subordinated to the management transition. Whether the boardroom change will affect recruitment planning or squad decisions in the coming weeks remains an open question, as the club has given no timeline for finding a permanent replacement for Schmadtke.

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