
All ticket holders for the season launch, who would like to watch the U19 clash with Alemannia Aachen at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, can enter via the North West entrance from 12.30 CEST. There will be no segregation on the day. It will not be possible to watch the U19 game without a ticket for the season launch.
All the other stadium entrances at the BayArena will open at 13.30 CEST two hours before kick-off as usual.
Anyone wanting to watch the U19 match, who does not have a ticket for the season launch, can watch the free live stream of the youth game on the Bayer 04 media channels.
With the opening of the West side at the BayArena at 12.30 CEST, the trophies won by the Werkself in the 2023/24 season will be displayed on the piazza. All Bayer 04 Club members with a ticket for the season launch can now apply for a time slot for a photo with the Meisterschale and the DFB Pokal.
Please note: There will be a 30-minute photo break from 15.00 CEST when the trophies will not be on the piazza. The Meisterschale and DFB Pokal will be by the side of the pitch during that time when the Werkself squad for the new season is officially presented. As with last year, the team under head coach Xabi Alonso will receive a guard of honour from Lions Club members.
Away from the U19 game and the photo action there will be other highlights for young and old alike. A large number of games will be set up around the concourse at the BayArena. In addition, fans can look forward to exciting interview partners for the stadium announcers Petra ‘Pitti’ Dahl and Tobias Ufer. As well as the Werkself squad, the Bayer 04 Women's team will also be officially presented.
Please note: The new catering prices for the 2024/25 season will apply from the season launch on Saturday. Bayer 04 also calls on fans to take part in the reusable cup donation scheme at home games at the BayArena.
Tickets for the season launch are still available, click HERE to access the Bayer 04 online shop.

It will also be worthwhile staying on at the BayArena after the friendly against Real Betis: The Werkself and the Bayer 04 Women will – supported by the children from the Lions Club – will get close to the fans as they distribute balls around the stadium.
Leverkusen City Council asks all visitors to the stadium to use public transport, bicycles or to travel by foot. There will be road closures from four hours before kick-off. The City of Leverkusen has put together key traffic and travel information for the season launch on Saturday. The summary in German is available HERE.

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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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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Opening opponents, derby weekends, the opponents in the season finale: This information and more will be available to Bayer 04 fans on Thursday, 2 July, when the 2026/27 Bundesliga fixture list is published.
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