"The 2020/21 season was affected by the coronavirus pandemic and the associated crowded fixture list," said Felix Duden, CEO of TecArena-Plus GmbH. The final league match at the BayArena was played on 27 June 2020, then came the second leg of the Round of 16 tie against Glasgow (Rangers) in Leverkusen on 6 August, and matches continued on 13 September with the DFB Cup game against Norderstedt at Bismarckstraße. "In order to be able to deal with increasing demands on the future, and particularly to ensure the level of quality in the winter months, the introduction of hybrid grass is the right move technically," added Duden.
This innovative playing surface at the BayArena is a combination of natural grass that is supported by synthetic components in the form of artificial fibres. "This ensures the grass is significantly more resilient while at the same time maintaining the positive characteristics of a traditional natural grass pitch," explained the CEO of TecArena-Plus.
Particular attention has been paid to the issue of sustainability in the implementation of this project. "To minimise the use of resources, a damp course has been installed below the undersoil heating. Temperature control will now be regulated according to the weather. And the sprinkler system will be upgraded so that targeted sprinkling will be possible in the future as required," Duden reported.
Construction work is set to be finished in August. That is to ensure the Werkself can play their first home game on the new BayArena pitch. The DFL have organised the start of the 2021/22 Bundesliga season for the weekend of 13 to 15 August.
Bayer 04 make their first trip to Poland for over 30 years as they face Lech Poznan on Matchday 2 of the league phase in the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League. The game kicks off at 18:45 CEST on Thursday, but the team will be preparing for the action on Wednesday with training, travel and pre-match press conferences. We’ll bring you all the latest news here…
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Bayer 04 remain unbeaten in the 2026/27 UEFA Europa League. After winning the opener against NK Celje, the Werkself followed that up on Thursday night with a 4–0 win away at the Polish champions Lech Poznan. Patrik Schick, who came on as a substitute early in the game, scored twice from the penalty spot, and Malik Tillman also found the back of the net before half-time. The second half was a more subdued affair, with Ibrahim Maza scoring late on to seal the final 4-0 scoreline.
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Since 2023, Bayer 04 has been organising regular free goalkeeping coach training sessions at the BayArena. As in previous years, the event attracted enormous interest in mid-October 2026. Around 140 participants – mostly goalkeeping coaches from the region, but also team and academy coaches as well as association staff – came to the Werkself stadium to gain expert knowledge on the subject of zonal marking. Through a theoretical keynote presentation and a practical session on the pitch, the participants gained insights into goalkeeping and goalkeeper training at Bayer 04.
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A first for the Werkself: Today, Thursday 15 October (kick-off: 18:45 CEST), Bayer 04 face Lech Poznan for the first time on matchday 2 in the UEFA Europa League group. Although the Black and Reds have a flawless record against the only Polish opposition faced before, they must not underestimate the attacking ability and goal-scoring threat of the reigning champions from Poznan. Lech’s squad also includes two former Bundesliga players. Today's matchday news.
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