
Once again this year Bayer 04 fans can look forward to a real highlight at the start of the new season with the season launch – albeit with a change: This year's event takes place for the first time in the Neuland Park (Rheinuferpark) in Leverkusen. In keeping with the great view of the Rhine, this year's motto is: Celebrate on the Rhine. The Werkself starts the new campaign the day before; with the DFB Cup tie away to Pforzheim presenting the first challenge for Heiko Herrlich and his players.
The two stadium announcers Pitti and Tobias will open the event at 11.15 CET and that will be followed by a round-table discussion with Fernando Carro and Rudi Völler on stage. The eSport player Marvin 'M4RV' Hintz will be presented and he will demonstrate his prowess with an exhibition match
Of course, another highlight again this year is the presentation of the new squad including all new signings - plus the autograph session to follow where, above all, young fans can get autographs of and photos with their favourite Werkself players. In between those two events, there will be live music from the Mavericks and the Bayer 04 Club will again provide numerous attractions in addition to the programme on stage.
Not only the Bayer 04 family will be guests at Neulandpark on 19 August: As part of the 'LEVspielt³' Event, the park is one of three venues for the big children's festival organised by the City of Leverkusen. Attractions including obstacle courses, face painting and bouncy castles which will help light up many children's eyes - it's worth dropping in.
Anybody regularly attending Werkself home games at the BayArena will know about using shuttle buses: The season launch event sees Bayer 04 providing a shuttle bus service from the Kurtekotten car park. From 11 in the morning, fans can travel free of charge from there to Rheinallee; the return journey is available until six in the evening. In hopefully nice weather and pleasant temperatures it's also worth travelling by bike along the Rhine. There will be plenty of bike stands available at the event site.
11.15 CET: Event opened by stadium announcers Pitti and Tobias
12.00 CET: Official welcome and round-table discussion with Fernando Carro and Rudi Völler
13.00 CET: Presentation of Marvin 'M4RV' Hintz and live gaming
followed by: Official presentation of team on stage
and: Live music from the Mavericks
Then: The autograph session
Around 17.00 CET: Event ends


The Bayer 04 Women welcome FC Carl Zeiss Jena to the Ulrich Haberland Stadium on Sunday night in a white retro look - and in a unique Bayer 04 ‘50 Years of Fan Clubs’ special edition jersey. In sporting terms, head coach Roberto Pätzold's team will face the Bundesliga's bottom team at 18:30 CET looking to keep their chances of third place in the table alive with six games left to play.
Show more
Bayer 04 Leverkusen will have to manage without the two strikers in the immediate future. Caroline Kehrer suffered a torn ligament in her right knee and Amy Wrigge tore her cruciate ligament.
Show more
The #B04eSports players now have the next chance to win a trophy. After their elimination in the quarter-finals of the VBL Club Championship Final 2025/26, the German club championship, Marc and Sean Landwehr will compete with seven other teams in the finals of the DFB-ePokal 2026 with prize money totalling €65,000. The "highly motivated" Leverkusen team will face the defending champions FOKUS with well-known influencer Elias ‘EliasN97’ Nerlich in the quarter-finals in Frankfurt on Friday, 20 March (from 18:15 CET). The semi-finals and final will be played on Saturday, 21 March.
Show more
Bayer 04 host Bayern Munich in the semi-finals of the 2025/26 DFB Pokal. The tie will be played on Wednesday, 22 April 2026, at the BayArena with the kick-off at 20:45 CEST. Information on ticket sales.
Show more
Hopes were high but disappointment was evident at the end of the second leg of the Round of 16 of UEFA Champions League 2025/26 with the Werkself losing 2-0 to clinical hosts Arsenal after a 1-1 draw in the first leg. Although this marks the end of the journey in the UCL this term the realisation remains that Bayer 04 are "not as far away as it might feel right now", as head coach Kasper Hjulmand said after the game. The Werkself review.
Show more