In her future position, Homburg, as with press officer Dirk Mesch, will report directly to Holger Tromp, communications director at Bayer 04.
Holger Tromp: "The challenges in professional communications in and around the Bundesliga have grown immensely in recent years and have also become more complex. For a Bundesliga club, the heart of the matter is still sport but beyond that there are increasingly other tasks including in the community. We have recognised this development by bringing in Valeska Homburg. We are very happy she has accepted and we are certain she will have a vitalising effect on Bayer 04 with her expertise and charisma."
Valeska Homburg: "I'm very grateful looking back at 20 years at ARD and I'm full of anticipation for the new challenge at Bayer 04 Leverkusen from the summer. It will be a new and very interesting job with demands and opportunities at a very professionally run club that has shown great confidence in me."
Valeska Homburg CV:
Valeska Homburg is an experienced sports journalist who has mainly worked for ARD for 20 years. She has an outstanding media network and has gained experience as a journalist including at large-scale events like World Cup tournaments as well as Summer and Winter Olympic games. She presented Bundesliga matches for two years for the former broadcaster Liga Total!. She has experience in media and communication training, speaks fluent English and has been actively involved in social issues for many years. She studied sports science at the German Sports University in Cologne.
Standing on the pitch where the Werkself players perform - for many Bayer 04 club members, this wish became reality at this year's Members' kickabout. Around 400 active participants of all ages took the opportunity to experience the BayArena from a new and special perspective. And there was also plenty going on in the stands: The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors in total and provided an atmospheric end to the season.
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Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
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Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
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