Fortuna in transition after relegation: Mislintat must prioritize stability over speed

Relegation is not only a sporting setback for Fortuna Düsseldorf, but also a starting signal for a deep new beginning. Because both sporting substance and revenues are simultaneously under pressure, the coming weeks will be less about big announcements – and more about reliable structures, clear decisions, and a squad that fits the 3rd division.

Relegation hits Fortuna both athletically and economically

Athletically, the situation is clear: Fortuna Düsseldorf finishes the 2025/26 season in the 2nd Bundesliga in 16th place with 37 points and a goal difference of 33:50 – the move to the 3rd division is thus sealed (DFB Data Center: https://datencenter.dfb.de/datencenter/2-bundesliga/2025-2026/34).

Economically, the next blow follows. Dropping down almost always means a hard break in central revenues in Germany – especially with TV money. In the 2nd Bundesliga, clubs receive a base amount in the millions, while the 3rd division generates significantly less from central media marketing (kicker: https://www.kicker.de/die-tv-geld-rangliste-der-2-liga-bei-schalke-und-hertha-wird-mehr-als-halbiert-955157/artikel). For squad planning, this means: less leeway for fixed costs, less margin for error, faster corrections if a plan does not work out.

Mislintat faces a rebuild without reliable certainties

For sporting director Sven Mislintat, this is not an ordinary "transition," but a project with an open foundation. According to the currently known framework conditions, two-thirds of the previous squad will not have a contract anymore. Even if some personnel matters can still be clarified: The scale indicates that Fortuna not only has to replace quality, but also build a new spine, new hierarchies, and a functioning framework – and all under time pressure.

On May 19, 2026, Mislintat emphasized that he is working "around the clock" on planning for the coming season. This makes sense: A relegated team cannot calmly wait for the market to "settle." In the 3rd division, early, consistent decisions often determine whether a team appears stable right away – or struggles for months just to get established in the league.

It is also noticeable that there has not yet been a quick announcement about aiming for immediate promotion. This does not have to be a lack of ambition, but can mean realism: Anyone who immediately shouts "up" after relegation, but at the same time has to almost completely rebuild the squad and manage a tighter budget, quickly sets an expectation that creates internal pressure without solving problems. For Fortuna, the following may therefore apply: first, the ability to act, then the target image.

Keller's warning targets the biggest risk after relegation

This is exactly where Christian Keller's warning comes in. In the "At Broski" show by Simon Schildgen, the former sporting managing director of 1. FC Köln spoke about the danger that a club not only loses players after relegation, but also loses orientation. Keller called for a quick mental and organizational restart: "To ensure the club's survival, you have to brutally quickly flip the switch internally, have a completely different mindset, and shake off this mood of mourning and doom." And further: "They have to say: We are making decisions now – one after the other – and turning things around for the better."

This perspective gets to the heart of the coming weeks in Düsseldorf. If decision-making processes become too slow after relegation, it not only affects transfers. It also influences whether key players can be retained, what the training environment looks like, what signals are sent to sponsors and the environment – and whether a sense of new beginning develops in the club or paralysis sets in.

Keller also pointed to SSV Ulm as a cautionary example and made it clear what can happen if the turning point is missed: "If you don't have this attitude now, next season will be bitter. And then something like what happened in Ulm can also happen." This scenario is particularly dangerous for relegated teams: Instead of immediately playing at the top, a team slips into a negative spiral – athletically, financially, and structurally.

For Fortuna, the decisive question is therefore not first how quickly promotion can be achieved – but whether the club can act clearly, quickly, and consistently again in a short time. Because only when structure, squad logic, and financial reality fit together does the restart become a real opportunity.