The ties in the eCup will – similarly to the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL) – be played on a best-of-three basis. First up are two 1 vs 1 games. The Leverkusen eSports players Marc ‘MARC_LDW23’ Landwehr and Furkan ‘FURKY’ Kayacik will first individually meet an opponent from FC 08 Hassloch from the Rhineland Palatinate. If there is no overall winner from these two games then a third will be played as a 2 vs 2 to decide the winner. The winner in the first round proper will progress to the second round of the competition.
The games in the tie between FC 08 Hassloch in the first round proper of the DFB eCup will be streamed on the Bayer 04 Twitch channel as well as the Bayer 04 app.
The DFB eCup is a statewide virtual football competition run by the German Football Association (DFB). In addition to eSport professional players, amateur teams from Germany can also take part. The first round proper brings together the winners from the qualifying rounds and eSports players from the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL). The Bayer 04 eSports team ended the North West division of the VBL in seventh place.
Forthcoming fixture dates:
Second round: 26 April
Round of 16: 25 May
Quarter-finals: 16 June
Semi-finals and final: 17 June
The German Football Association (DFB) has officially recognised Bayer 04 as a centre for the development of female talent for the 2026/27 season. The club was awarded that role on 1 January 2026, and this status has now been renewed.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have sold young defender Andrea Natali to AZ Alkmaar on permanent terms. The 18-year-old Italian was on loan at the Dutch club last season, where he mainly played for the reserve team in the second division.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have loaned new signing Luca Erlein to newly promoted FC Energie Cottbus for the 2026/27 season. This will give him the opportunity to play in Bundesliga 2. The club signed the 19-year-old right-back on a permanent basis last week, on a contract to 30 June 2030.
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Trophies as a youth, appearances in the pro game and his first taste of international competition: new arrival Luca Erlein, who has been signed from TSG Hoffenheim, can already look back on some remarkable achievements and moments in his fledgling career. We take a closer look at the 19-year-old right-back, who can also fill other roles across the defensive line.
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