
This will be the first official Werkself launch at the home ground in nine years – this year it includes the final pre-season friendly against top opposition.
Spanish top-flight club Real Sociedad are the opponent's in a 14.30 kick-off. The club finished ninth in the Primers Liga last term and they played Bayer 04 in the group stage of the 2013/14 Champions League campaign. This match will be the final run-out for Roger Schmidt's team ahead of the DFB Cup Round One tie at fifth-tier SC Hauenstein the following weekend.
In addition to the match, there will plenty to excite and entertain the Werkself faithful in and around the BayArena. During half-time the Bayer 04 CEO Michael Schade and sporting director Rudi Völler will take part in a Q&A session on the new season. One highlight is the presentation of the new Bundesliga squad including the introduction of the players. After the game there will be a big autograph session. This will be held inside the ground with access via the F1 entrance at 17.09 CET.
Looking forward to 80 million
Musical entertainment is provided by the current chart hit in Germany Max Giesinger who will perform his hit '80 million' on the concourse at the BayArena and there are also plenty of activities and fun for young and old alike.
Running order:
12.30 :BayArena opens
13.30 :Löwenclub match
14.00 :Max Giesinger sings
14.30 :Bayer 04 v Real Sociedad
Hi entertainment:
Q&A with Michael Schade and Rudi Völler
Radio Leverkusen ‘home anthem’
Fan game on the pitch
16.20 :Interview with Roger Schmidt
16.30 :'HanderCover' band on North Concourse
17.00 :Autograph session


Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
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Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
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Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
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Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
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Opening opponents, derby weekends, the opponents in the season finale: This information and more will be available to Bayer 04 fans on Thursday, 2 July, when the 2026/27 Bundesliga fixture list is published.
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