It remains to be seen when the Werkself fans will be allowed to support their team on home turf again. But what is certain: Whenever the BayArena is able to welcome back spectators, a number of changes will be evident.
The biggest, visible change will be above the heads of the spectators: The scoreboards in the South and North Stands are to be replaced. The new ones are, at 97 square metres, bigger than the previous models from 2009 (68 square metres) and also guarantee a better picture quality. Also new: The scoreboard in the South Stand will be sited a floor higher on the fourth floor. That will improve visibility for the spectators.
Coming to the BayArena will be even more of a pleasure for disabled fans in the future. The seats for visually impaired fans in Block H will have a wider access with handrails to make it easier to get to the seat, the toilet or snack bar. The so-called ‘Big and Tall’ seats will be further enlarged, fitted with a handrail and have more legroom.
Following the renewal of the flooring in the stairwells in the West Stand, it is now the turn for access points in the East Stand. The new surface is more non-slip and will provide a safer environment in wet weather. And the look fits in perfectly with the Werkself: The stairwells will shine in Black and Red splendour in future. The balustrades in the second and third floors and the doors on the bottom floor will also receive a new coat of paint.
The Werkself players can also look forward to several changes. The first team squad will have a new kitchen on the third floor in close proximity to the ‘Werkstatt’. Chefs Alexander Wagner and Domenik Kulisch will be able to cook for Lars Bender and Co. under ideal conditions.
Training pitches 2 and 3 will also be returfed to provide good and reliable training conditions. All the turf including subsoil will be replaced.
The majority of the planned building works are already in train. The last of the craftspeople will have left the BayArena by the end of August.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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