As the 2025/26 Bundesliga season heads towards its climax, it won’t be long before the latest German champions have their name engraved on the famous Meisterschale. When that moment comes, eagle-eyed viewers may notice a subtle change to Germany’s championship shield.
The iconic Bundesliga trophy has grown once again. The existing outer ring has been replaced by a larger one to provide more space for the engravings of future German champions.
The current trophy was designed and crafted in 1949 by art professor Elisabeth Treskow at the Cologne School of Arts and Crafts, replacing the “Victoria” statue, which went missing during World War II. The names of all German champions since 1903 are immortalised on the trophy and at the end of each season, the new titleholder is added.
Making a bigger Bundesliga trophy is delicate work. – Oliver Hardt/Bundesliga
The trophy was first expanded in 1981: a silver ring was added, fitted with engraving plates and five tourmaline cabochons totaling 71.98 carats set in gold. The next expansion took place before the final matchday of the 2008-09 season, when five larger engraving plates were added for additional names.
With the latest expansion, carried out by the silver manufacturer Koch & Bergfeld on behalf of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga, there is now enough space for the next 30 years. The new outer ring features a total of five bands, two more than before. In the process, all German champions since 1982 have been engraved onto the new ring. The trophy was completely disassembled and thoroughly restored for the redesign. It now weighs more than eleven kilograms and has a diameter of 56 cm.
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