The Werkself will return from Berlin the day after the DFB Pokal final against FC Kaiserslautern and are set to land at Cologne/Bonn Airport at 13.30 CEST. The team bus will then travel to Schloss Morsbroich to sign the Golden Book of the city of Leverkusen. From Schloss Morsbroich the team will travel in an open top parade to the BayArena. Bayer 04 will announce the exact route of the parade via club media channels at a later point.
The grand finale to this season will be held at the BayArena. The stadium will open at 12.30 CEST. Fans can enjoy a programme of events with many highlights from 13.30 CEST. Until the Werkself arrive at the BayArena in the late afternoon, fans at the stadium can enjoy the programme as well as follow the progress of the team on large video screens.
Tickets for the event at the BayArena are free with a choice of the stands or the interior of the stadium. There are a total of 40,000 tickets available. We ask all fans who have a ticket for the event at the BayArena to arrive at the stadium as early as possible. That will avoid delays at the turnstiles after the arrival of the team. Please note the tickets for the BayArena are not valid after leaving the stadium. Readmittance is not possible due to safety reasons.
Tickets will be released to fan clubs as well as season cardholders with the Bundesliga and BundesligaPlus options as well as holders of away season tickets from Tuesday 7 May at noon. These groups can obtain tickets up to Thursday 9 May at 15.00 CEST.
Applications for the event at the BayArena can be made for each season card. Example: If you have two season cards then it is possible to acquire up to two tickets.
Tickets will be available to all Bayer 04 Club members from Friday 10 May at noon. Members can acquire up to two tickets.
The free tickets for the event at the BayArena are available via the usual sales options at Bayer 04. For each of the phases it is a matter of first-come, first-served.
Fans can also celebrate this special day under the motorway next to the BayArena. It will be possible to follow the Werkself parade as well as the programme of events at the BayArena on big screens. That means fans under the motorway can enjoy all the key images on the day. Tickets are not required for access to this area.
In addition to catering, there will be fun and games for all the family. Food and drink from stands under the motorway can only be played for in cash. There will also be mobile toilets on site.
The whole area under the motorway will be closed from 23 May to 26 May inclusive for the preparations for this event. Parking is not possible during that period. Residents around the BayArena will receive detailed written information.
On the day of the event, 26 May, Bismarckstraße will be closed for individual and delivery traffic from noon up to approximately 22.00 CEST between Konrad-Adenauer-Platz and the Robert-Blum-Straße roundabout.
ARD and WDR will broadcast parts of the event on the day.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have appointed Carles Martínez Novell as the new head coach. The 42-year-old Spaniard worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. Martínez finished last term in ninth place with the club from the south of France. He will take over the Werkself on 1 July 2026 and has signed a contract to 30 June 2028. Martínez, whose contract with Toulouse expires at the end of the month, succeeds Kasper Hjulmand at Leverkusen, who is leaving the club after one season.
Show more
Welcome to Leverkusen, Carles Martínez Novell. Bayer 04 have appointed the 42-year-old Spaniard as the new head coach on a contract to 2028. Martínez most recently worked for FC Toulouse in the French Ligue 1 until the end of the season. He previously spent four years at Barcelona's legendary academy La Masia in his home city. Bayer04.de introduces Martínez in more detail.
Show more
Bayer 04 plans for the 2026/27 pre-season continue to take shape. The Werkself will kick off the new season in mid-July with the return to the training ground. The highlight will be the official season opener on 8 August at the BayArena, including a friendly against La Liga club Sevilla. Friendlies in Germany will take the team to neighbouring Monheim, Offenbach and Jena.
Show more
Strengthening the Bayer 04 Leverkusen youth teams: Konstantinos Kotsifakis will join the Werkself from Bundesliga 2 club Hertha Berlin for the 2026/27 season, where he will be a permanent member of the Leverkusen U19 coaching set-up. The German-Greek will also take on an operational role in coaching the Bayer 04 Future Team. The 29-year-old was most recently head coach of the U17s at Hertha Berlin.
Show more
Another award for the Bayer 04 head groundsman and staff: After coming top in the 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2024/25 seasons, the BayArena pitch came second in the Bundesliga Pitch of the Year ranking for the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg secured the top spot this year, with TSG Hoffenheim in third place.
Show more
