
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 have comfortably reached the DFB Pokal second round thanks to a 4–0 victory away to Liga 3 side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. Patrik Schick put the Werkself ahead in the first 45 in the first competitive match under head coach Carles Martínez with debuts for new signings Miguel Gutiérrez, Afonso Moreira and Facundo Medina. After the break, Lucas Vázquez (47'), Nathan Tella (69') and Christian Kofane (79') also found the back of the net.
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Today brings the first match of the season for the Werkself. Bayer 04 kick off the 2026/27 campaign today, Saturday 22 August, at 13:00 CEST with a first-round DFB Pokal tie away to third-tier side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. The 3,700 travelling fans can not only look forward to what will hopefully be a successful start to the season, but also now organise their journeys to Black and Reds games even more easily via the WERKSELFgo car-share platform. Meanwhile, following two defeats at the start of the league season, SV Wehen are hoping to spring a surprise in the DFB Pokal tie. Today’s matchday news.
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Carolin Simon is the new captain of the Bayer 04 women’s team. The full-back, who joined from Bayern Munich in the summer, will take over the captain’s armband for the 2026/27 season. Simon returned to Leverkusen in the summer after ten years away. The 33-year-old succeeds goalkeeper Friederike Repohl, who retired at the end of last season.
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With the 2026/27 season set to kick off with a DFB Pokal tie away to SV Wehen Wiesbaden (Saturday, 22 August, 13:00 CEST), the squad numbers for two Werkself players have now been confirmed. New signing Afonso Moreira will wear the number 9, which he has already worn in pre-season friendlies. Lucas Vázquez is switching from number 21 to number 17 – the number he wore successfully at Real Madrid for many years.
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Bayer 04 start the 2026/27 season away to third-division side SV Wehen Wiesbaden. Ahead of the DFB Pokal tie on Saturday 22 August (kick-off: 13:00 CEST), head coach Carles Martínez spoke at the pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon. The topics: anticipation, passion, the fans’ support – and the captaincy for the new season.
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