The BayArena has become a landmark in Leverkusen over the years and always provides a particularly fitting image with symbolic community activities: That was the case with the World Prematurity Day when the BayArena, for the third successive year, was lit up in magenta for five hours last year and in November 2018 the Werkself home ground was bathed in orange light for the national campaign of the Zonta Club as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This Saturday, the BayArena will again have a different visage for another good cause: As part of Earth Hour 2019, the biggest global campaign for increased climate and environmental protection, the stadium will be in darkness for an hour from 20.30 CET to 21.30 CET.
This Saturday, 30 March, will see millions of people worldwide examine their behaviour in terms of consumption of energy and resources. Lights will be switched off for one hour at many internationally well-known German landmarks such as the cathedral in Cologne and the Brandenburg Gate. The BayArena will not be the only place in Leverkusen in the dark – the external lighting on the town hall and the town hall Galerie centre, the water tower and the Ostermann Arena will also be turned off for an hour.Bayer 04 is working with Leverkusen Council, NaturGut Ophoven, the Sportpark, the energy supplier EVL and the ECE Shopping Centre to send out a strong message for climate protection and a living planet.
Further information at https://www.earthhour.org
Bayer 04 have comfortably reached the DFB Pokal second round thanks to a 4–0 victory away to Liga 3 side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. Patrik Schick put the Werkself ahead in the first 45 in the first competitive match under head coach Carles Martínez with debuts for new signings Miguel Gutiérrez, Afonso Moreira and Facundo Medina. After the break, Lucas Vázquez (47'), Nathan Tella (69') and Christian Kofane (79') also found the back of the net.
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Today brings the first match of the season for the Werkself. Bayer 04 kick off the 2026/27 campaign today, Saturday 22 August, at 13:00 CEST with a first-round DFB Pokal tie away to third-tier side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. The 3,700 travelling fans can not only look forward to what will hopefully be a successful start to the season, but also now organise their journeys to Black and Reds games even more easily via the WERKSELFgo car-share platform. Meanwhile, following two defeats at the start of the league season, SV Wehen are hoping to spring a surprise in the DFB Pokal tie. Today’s matchday news.
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Carolin Simon is the new captain of the Bayer 04 women’s team. The full-back, who joined from Bayern Munich in the summer, will take over the captain’s armband for the 2026/27 season. Simon returned to Leverkusen in the summer after ten years away. The 33-year-old succeeds goalkeeper Friederike Repohl, who retired at the end of last season.
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With the 2026/27 season set to kick off with a DFB Pokal tie away to SV Wehen Wiesbaden (Saturday, 22 August, 13:00 CEST), the squad numbers for two Werkself players have now been confirmed. New signing Afonso Moreira will wear the number 9, which he has already worn in pre-season friendlies. Lucas Vázquez is switching from number 21 to number 17 – the number he wore successfully at Real Madrid for many years.
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