
The opening fixtures in the play-offs, to be played using the FIFA Ultimate Team online friendly format, involve the Xbox players. Fabian ‘B04_DUBZJE’ De Cae and his rivals start on Saturday, 15 May at 13.00 CEST in the first of four Swiss Rounds on the day.
One round consists of first and second legs with the goals scored combined. If the scores are level after the two 90-minutes then the winner will be determined in extra time and on penalties if required. The first Swiss Round for the PlayStation 4 players starts at 17.30 CEST on Saturday night. Kai ‘DETO’ Wollin and Marc ‘MARC_LDW23’ Landwehr will represent the Werkself.
The fifth Swiss Round is on Sunday, 16 May, and is followed by the knockout stages (Round of 32 & Round of 16). The kick-off for competitors on both formats is at 17.00 CEST. All players with a maximum of two defeats after five Swiss Rounds will progress to the knockout phase. The winners of the Round of 16 matches will go through to the VBL Grand Final.
Details of the tournament mode of the VBL play-offs can be found HERE.
Xbox:
Saturday, 15 May:
Sunday, 16 May:
PlayStation 4:
Saturday, 15 May:
Sunday, 16 May:

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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The Shareholders’ Committee of Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH has extended the contracts of the two managing directors, Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes, ahead of schedule. The CEO, Fernando Carro (62), will continue in his role until 30 June 2029, and managing director sport Simon Rolfes (44) will remain in post until 30 June 2031.
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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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