For those in attendance, it was not just the victory on the day that took the team into the top four of the table which provided smiles all around, but the chance to join together in camaraderie with other Bayer 04 fans and followers at a cozy neighborhood sports bar.
“I’ve been a Leverkusen fan consistently for three years now and was really excited for the opportunity to join with fellow Bostonians and watch the team,” said Stefan Karlberg. “The team had a bumpy start but you can see that the players still have faith and still believe in the mission. That gives me faith when I watch them.”
Participants on this day included fans from around greater Boston and featured numerous guests and their families from the Bayer Research and Innovation Center (BRIC) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
“I’m probably more of a new Leverkusen fan in the last couple of years,” said Matteo Aeldeghi who works at BRIC. “But I wanted to come here and support the team, be with friends and colleagues, and enjoy a good atmosphere.”
The event even included one enthusiastic fan ready to start the very first Bayer 04 Leverkusen fan club in Boston.
“I watch Bundesliga all weekend and would love to do it with others, for example as part of a fan club,” added Karlberg.
Numerous giveaways on the morning included Bayer 04 scarves, guaranteeing plenty of Bayer 04 logos to go around, with the highlight being the halftime drawing by one lucky fan for an autographed Malik Tillman home jersey in black.
And it was Tillman’s star power that in fact drew some of the fans to The Banshee.
“I’m actually a big US national team fan, and I came for Malik Tillman… love the player,” said Kalen Almeida. “But Leverkusen is an insanely easy team to root for. That 2023-24 season was amazing and that almost turned me into a full fan. It’s a great club.”
The gathering in Boston continues the club’s on-going internationalization efforts, engaging with the growing Bayer 04 Leverkusen fan base overseas in key markets like the U.S., Brazil, Mexico and China.
“These kinds of local events connect our fans around the world directly with our club and other Bayer 04 supporters in those markets,” said Tobias Schmidt, Head of Internationalization at Bayer 04. “The team has witnessed such a surge in interest internationally over the last decade, helped by our historic results in 2024, making it a terrific celebration of everything Bayer 04 when we bring them all together in one place.”
Traveling to North America for the World Cup this summer to see your favorite Bayer 04 players? Here’s a quick cheat sheet with thumbnail portraits and insider tips for each city from a local expert, so you can make the most of your visit and activities beyond the game!
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A fresh look for the BayArena: The Bayer 04 stadium will have new seating in the form of folding seats for the 2026/27 campaign that will ensure significantly improved seating comfort and simplified movement within the rows of seats. As part of routine replacement after 17 years, fans of the Werkself were able to purchase the existing seats, used to witness the first German league title in the club's history. In addition, a large proportion of the seats will be donated to charitable projects, primarily in the local region. Bayer 04 fans can look forward to new, functional folding seats for the season opener at the beginning of August - still in the club colours of black and red, of course. A glimpse at the BayArena during the refurbishment.
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On Monday evening, 8 June, around 250 people came to the Bürgerhaus Baumberg at the invitation of Bayer 04 to find out details of the new plans for the campus on Alfred-Nobel-Straße at an information event. More compact, greener and with many advantages for Monheim am Rhein - those are the aims. There were lively discussions for around three hours and some misunderstandings were cleared up.
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Werkself player Montrell Culbreath and Bayer 04 loanee Francis Onyeka are part of Germany's final squad for the U19 European Championships this summer. The tournament is in Wales from 24 June to 12 July.
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When Malik Tillman arrived at Bayer 04 Leverkusen from PSV Eindhoven last summer, he did more than just add attacking midfield strength to the team — he reconnected the club with a unique and understated American lineage that stretches back more than three decades.
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