
Parallel to the late Wednesday night game at Gladbach's Borussia Park (live on Sky) there is the tie between TSG Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig that will be broadcast on terrestrial TV. FC Köln entertain FC Schalke 04 earlier at 18.30 CET, which means there may well be heavier traffic on the way to Mönchengladbach. Supporters are advised to set off in good time.
Tickets are already on sale to Club members and Bayer 04 fans who have previously bought tickets. Bayer 04 supporters have until 24 October to secure tickets for the Werkself DFB Cup second round tie before advance ticket sales end.
DFB Cup second round draw:
SSV Ulm v Fortuna Düsseldorf
Darmstadt 98 v Hertha BSC
BSG Chemie Leipzig v SC Paderborn
Hannover 96 v VfL Wolfsburg (all on Tuesday 30 October at 18.30 CET)
FC Heidenheim v SV Sandhausen
Wehen Wiesbaden v Hamburg SV
FC Augsburg v FSV Mainz 05
SV Rödinghausen v Bayern Munich (all Tuesday 30 October at 20.45 CET)
FC Köln v Schalke 04
Borussia Dortmund v Union Berlin
SC Weiche Flensburg v Werder Bremen
Hansa Rostock v FC Nürnberg (all Wednesday 31 October at 18.30 CET)
Borussia Mönchengladbach v Bayer 04
Holstein Kiel v SC Freiburg
Arminia Bielefeld v MSV Duisburg
Rasenball Leipzig v TSG Hoffenheim (all Wednesday 31 October at 20.45 CET)


Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended midfielder Noah Mbamba’s contract by twelve months and sent the Belgian U21 international on loan to France. At FC Lorient, the 21-year-old – whose contract at Leverkusen now runs to 30 June 2029 – is set to gain playing time in Ligue 1 and, through strong performances and further development, put himself in the running for a future place in the Werkself squad.
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Spurred on by a flawless hat-trick from Cornelia Kramer, the Bayer 04 women’s team won their penultimate pre-season friendly in commanding fashion. As part of the season launch, the Werkself beat Dutch top-flight side Feyenoord 7–0. In front of 3,000 spectators at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, Kramer (6’, 25’, 45’), Sofie Zdebel (47’), Maja Sternad (59'), Natasha Kowalski (83') and Vanessa Fudalla (86') scored the goals for coach Roberto Pätzold’s side.
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There’s plenty for Bayer 04 fans to enjoy both on and off the pitch at the official 2026 season launch. In addition to the women’s team taking on Feyenoord at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium at 13:15 CEST and the men’s team facing Sevilla at the BayArena at 15:30 CEST, fans of all ages can enjoy a range of activities – and get to meet Bayer 04 players and former players in the process. The Fanwelt is also offering a special promotion: buy a new shirt and get free printing! Here’s an overview of everything you need to know about the season launch, including the live streams.
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A round-up of the Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land, all in one place: in our daily blog you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day six (Friday 7 August) is as follows: This morning, the squad completed their final training session – this time behind closed doors – here in Blankenhain, before heading back to Leverkusen after lunch. The big season launch is scheduled for tomorrow.
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