April 3, 2026, 4:01 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
Those who belong to the Christian faith are usually aware of it. However, for people of other or no religion, it is often less known that Good Friday is not an ordinary holiday in many respects. Special regulations apply on the Friday before Easter Sunday—and these even affect sports.
How nice, a Friday when work takes a break, giving you time for a thorough workout at the gym. Or you might pack your family into the car and go watch an exciting soccer game. But wait—it’s Good Friday, and sports are a different matter. What is allowed on this special day and what isn’t?
Why Are There Special Rules on Good Friday?
Good Friday is a so-called “silent” holiday. On this day, consideration is given to mourning and general religious feelings. For many Christians, Easter is the most important religious festival, surpassing even Christmas. While Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, Easter commemorates his death and resurrection. Good Friday marks the sorrowful part of this commemoration. According to Christian tradition, Jesus Christ was crucified and died on the cross on this day.
In this context, it is considered inappropriate to hold loud, joyful events or go out partying on Good Friday. Instead, quiet is the highest priority. This applies to everyone living in Germany, regardless of whether they are religious or not, or whether they personally consider Easter important and celebrate it.
A special rule that applies to Good Friday is the general ban on dancing. The period for which this applies varies between federal states, but it exists in all of them. How strictly it is enforced, such as whether bars and clubs are checked, also differs.1
What Applies to Sports on Good Friday?
The special Good Friday rules also affect public sporting events.2 These are generally prohibited or only allowed with explicit special permission in most federal states on Good Friday. The states vary in how strictly they enforce this. Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia are the strictest. In NRW, for example, events and activities on Good Friday must not have an “entertaining” character. This also applies to sports events or organized sports, such as those by clubs. Although there are occasional special regulations, without the appropriate permission, such events are generally not allowed.3
How Social Distancing Works
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Even the Bundesliga Is Affected by the Special Rules
On Good Friday, no soccer matches take place from the district league to the 1st league. The matchday on Easter weekend therefore begins only on Saturday. The exact distribution of the games on Saturday and Sunday varies depending on the schedule.4
What About Jogging or the Gym?
Private sports are not affected by the strict Good Friday rules and are allowed as on any other day of the year. This applies to home gyms as well as jogging in the park. Training in groups is also permitted.
Want to go to the gym on Good Friday? No problem! The gyms are also not affected by the ban. Training is possible even on the “silent” holiday, unless the operator decides to close the gym. Both working out on the training floors, with weights or machines, and attending classes are allowed. The reason: Unlike public sports events, private sports—whether at home, outdoors, or in the gym—are not solely about entertainment and leisure but about health and well-being.