The stadium opens two hours before kick-off at 11.00 CET. At the same time, the Christmas market on the piazza in the West Stand at the BayArena will be open to anyone with a ticket for the friendly against FC Zürich. Tickets for the match at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium include a free non-alcoholic drink. Further information on ticket sales can be found HERE.
Running order:
11.15 CET - Opening matches
12.15 CET - Warm-up routine for pro teams
12.30 CET - Premium Lounge opens with games for children and families
12.45 CET - Management message to fans
13.00 CET - Friendly against FC Zürich kicks off
13.45 CET - Tribute to 26 fan clubs during half-time
14.45 CET - Full-time in friendly against FC Zürich
Bayer 04 fans can enjoy a varied programme after the friendly against FC Zürich as well. There are free stadium tours for ticket holders from 16.00 CET starting at the VIP entrance in the West Stand at the BayArena. The tour includes being pitch side on the way to the Mixed Zone and the dressing room area at the BayArena. One special highlight: Bayer 04 fans can also board the Werkself team bus during the tours.
Also at 16.00 CET, there is a 90-minute autograph session in conference rooms two and three in the West Stand at the BayArena. Beginning at the same time is an exclusive press conference for members of the Bayer 04 Club with head coach Xabi Alonso and Werkself stalwart Karim Bellarabi in the press conference room at the BayArena. At 16.45 CET there will be a 90-minute exclusive press conference for members of the Löwenclub and Teens Club also in the press conference room.
The action packed day is rounded off by carol singing on the piazza at the West Stand at the BayArena from 17.45 CET. The event ends at 18.30 CET.
Today brings the first match of the season for the Werkself. Bayer 04 kick off the 2026/27 campaign today, Saturday 22 August, at 13:00 CEST with a first-round DFB Pokal tie away to third-tier side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. The 3,700 travelling fans can not only look forward to what will hopefully be a successful start to the season, but also now organise their journeys to Black and Reds games even more easily via the WERKSELFgo car-share platform. Meanwhile, following two defeats at the start of the league season, SV Wehen are hoping to spring a surprise in the DFB Pokal tie. Today’s matchday news.
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Carolin Simon is the new captain of the Bayer 04 women’s team. The full-back, who joined from Bayern Munich in the summer, will take over the captain’s armband for the 2026/27 season. Simon returned to Leverkusen in the summer after ten years away. The 33-year-old succeeds goalkeeper Friederike Repohl, who retired at the end of last season.
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Bayer 04 start the 2026/27 season away to third-division side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. Ahead of the DFB Pokal tie on Saturday 22 August (kick-off: 13:00 CEST), head coach Carles Martínez spoke at the pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon. The topics: anticipation, passion, the fans’ support – and the captaincy for the new season.
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After 62 days of preparation, the time has finally come: the Werkself kick off the new Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga season on Sunday (16:00 CEST) with an away match at RB Leipzig. Following a major shake-up over the summer, with eleven players leaving and twelve new signings, initial impressions from the past few weeks have given manager Roberto Pätzold great cause for optimism.
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SV Wehen Wiesbaden undoubtedly envisaged a different start to the new season. After two matchdays, the Hessen side currently sit bottom of the Liga 3 table. On Saturday 22 August (kick-off: 13:00 CEST), SVWW host the Werkself in the first round of the DFB Pokal at their home ground, the BRITA Arena. It was there, in this very competition a year ago, that the club almost pulled off a massive upset. The lowdown on our next opponents.
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