
"Kumho Tyre has been a global player in tyre production for many years and, with their ambitious targets, perfectly suited to an internationally ambitious club like Bayer 04. We are very much looking forward to this exciting and multifaceted partnership," said Fernando Carro, chairman of the board at Bayer 04 Leverkusen, who at this point would like to thank the Werkself marketing partner Lagardère Sports for their support in bringing about this business.
Jun Ro Song (pictured left), managing director of Kumho Tyre Europe GmbH, explained the reasons for the link-up: "We are happy to enter this new partnership with Bayer 04 Leverkusen as the club stands for reliability, ambition and international prestige. Those are decisive criteria for our partnerships in sport. Following our sponsorship of Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League, we are now happy to have found another top European club in Bayer 04 Leverkusen. We hope to significantly increase our brand recognition with the help of this partnership."
As an official Premium Partner, Kumho Tyres will have a comprehensive presence on the digital hoardings along the whole side of the pitch over the course of their two-year contract. In addition, two Kumho branded 3D-cam carpets will be visible at the BayArena in the TV-relevant area, and from the new season the digital scoreboard will also bear the Kumho Tyre logo. The sponsorship package also includes premium hospitality allocations and a comprehensive, international incorporation into club media activities (website, social media etc).
Info on Kumho Tyre:
The Kumho Tyre Company with its headquarters in Seoul was founded in 1960 and is now one of the leading tyre manufacturers worldwide with 60 million tyres sold and an annual turnover of over €2 billion. Over 10,000 employees worldwide develop, produce and sell Kumho tyres for cars, vans and trucks. As a global player, Kumho has production facilities in Korea, Vietnam, China and the USA. In addition, Kumho has research and development centres in Korea, China, Europe and North America. In the summer of 2018 the Chinese manufacturer Doublestar Tire, one of the biggest tyre manufacturers in China, took up 45% of the shares in Kumho Tyre and is now the most important and biggest shareholder at Kumho. All tyres for the European market are developed in the European development centre in Mörfelden-Walldorf, near Frankfurt am Main.


Bayer 04 will have to manage without defender Guéla Doué for the time being. The Ivory Coast international sustained a muscle injury to his right calf during the final Werkself training session yesterday ahead of the Europa League clash with Slovenian champions NK Celje.
Show more
For the first time since reaching the final against AS Roma (2–2, first leg 2–0) in May 2024, Bayer 04 are playing another home match in the UEFA Europa League – and they will be wearing their new European kit. On Wednesday 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), the BayArena will welcome Slovenian champions NK Celje, who appointed a new coach this week following a mixed start to the season. Under the slogan “40 Years Across Europe. Still Creating History.”, the Black and Reds now aim to add the next chapter to their European history, which has seen so much success in recent years. Bayer 04 fans can follow the match on free-to-air TV on RTL, as well as on Sky and Werkself Radio. The matchday news.
Show more
European football returns to the BayArena: Bayer 04 host Slovenian champions NK Celje on matchday 1 in the group stage of the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League. Ahead of the match on Wednesday 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), head coach Carles Martínez and midfielder Aleix Garcia spoke at the pre-match press conference. The focus was primarily on the great anticipation surrounding the competition and the clear objectives for it – and, given the circumstances, on a last-minute change to the opposition line-up.
Show more
The champions of Slovenia NK Celje are in a European competition for the fourth time in their history. This Wednesday, 16 September (kick-off: 21:00 CEST), the side lead by head coach Vitor Campelos visit the BayArena for matchday 1 in the group stage in the UEFA Europa League. Celje’s last match at the weekend did not go to plan. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show more
Construction work continues on the ‘Haus der Talente’ on Kurtekottenweg in Leverkusen, where 36 young elite athletes will find a new home from next summer. The building team from Temmink Bau, led by Thomas Wellers, are hard at work. Over the past few days, excavators, wheeled loaders and rollers have removed 2,500 cubic metres of soil to excavate the basement.
Show more