In Group A, there is a clash between Leverkusen teammates: Piero Hincapie with Ecuador and Jeremie Frimpong with the Netherlands face each other on matchday 2 (25 November, 17.00 CET). Frimpong on his World Cup call-up: "I'm very happy about being called up. It's a dream for every player to be at a World Cup. Now it's come true for me." The other teams in the group are Qatar, who Hincapie and Co. face in the opening match on 20 November, and Senegal.
The Black and Reds are also represented in Group B: Iran with Bayer 04 striker Sardar Azmoun play England in their first game on 21 November. That is followed four days later by the group match against Wales and Iran finish the group stage with the clash with the USA on 29 November.
Another Werkself player is battling to progress to the knockout rounds with his fellow countrymen in Group C: Exequiel Palacios, along with the seven-time FIFA World Player of the Year Lionel Messi, is in the Argentina squad. The Leverkusen midfielder and the Albiceleste play Saudi Arabia (22 November), Mexico (26 November) and Poland (30 November).
Florian Wirtz is not at the World Cup. The 19-year-old midfielder has been out of action since the middle of March due to a torn cruciate and has recently returned to full training with the Werkself. Germany coach Hansi Flick spoke about Wirtz at the press conference presenting the Germany World Cup squad on Thursday: "There's no question we would have been glad to have a player with the quality of Florian Wirtz. But he's been out for a long time with a serious injury and is now just coming back into full training. The most important thing for him is to get back on the pitch fit and well and then give his all again in January."
Wirtz travelled to St. Louis with his Leverkusen teammates on Sunday 13 November for the #Bayer04USATour. The tour includes a friendly against St. Louis CITY Soccer Club on Wednesday 16 November.
World Cup group games involving Bayer 04 players:
Jeremie Frimpong (Netherlands)
Senegal vs Netherlands (Monday, 21 November, 17.00 CET)
Netherlands vs Ecuador (Friday, 25 November, 17.00 CET)
Netherlands vs Qatar (Tuesday, 29 November, 16.00 CET)
Piero Hincapie (Ecuador):
Qatar vs Ecuador (Sunday, 20 November, 17.00 CET)
Netherlands vs Ecuador (Friday, 25 November, 17.00 CET)
Ecuador vs Senegal (Tuesday, 29 November, 16.00 CET)
Sardar Azmoun (Iran):
England vs Iran (Monday, 21 November, 14.00 CET)
Wales vs Iran (Friday, 25 November, 11.00 CET)
Iran vs USA (Tuesday, 29 November, 20.00 CET)
Exequiel Palacios (Argentina):
Argentina vs Saudi Arabia (Tuesday, 22. November, 11.00 CET)
Argentina vs Mexico (Saturday, 26 November, 20.00 CET)
Poland vs Argentina (Wednesday, 30 November, 20.00 CET)
A number of countries who have not qualified for the World Cup finals in Qatar are involved in friendlies in November. That includes Bayer 04 captain Lukas Hradecky with Finland who play North Macedonia on 17 November and Norway three days later.
Morocco's capital Marrakesh is the venue for two Leverkusen defenders playing each other: Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso meet the Ivory Coast on 19 November. Amine Adli is on the road with the France U21 squad and they play Norway in Caen on 19 November.
Two Saturdays, one Friday and one Sunday: The dates for the Bayer 04 Women's team games on matchdays 16 to 19 have been finalised. Three of the four matches scheduled by the German Football Association (DFB) on Tuesday will be played at home at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium.
Show more
Despite a courageous display, the Bayer 04 Women missed out on a surprise at the start of the second half of the Bundesliga season. Coach Roberto Pätzold's team lost 3-0 to league leaders Bayern Munich on Monday night. An early goal from the clinical visitors, a disputed penalty and another spot-kick prevented Leverkusen, who are seventh in the table on 22 points from 14 games, from picking up a point in front of 3,011 spectators at the sold-out Ulrich Haberland Stadium.
Show more
The Werkself rang in the Black and Red festive season with an emotional visit to Klinikum Leverkusen. Kristin Kögel, Melissa Friedrich and Louisa Remien from the Bayer 04 Women's team and Jonas Hofmann, Janis Blaswich and Niklas Lomb from the first team visited the young patients on the children's ward and, for the first time, on the ‘Zeitinsel’ children's palliative care unit. They brought a host of lovingly wrapped presents ensuring a big surprise for young and old alike.
Show more
Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
Show more
