The weather could hardly have been better with bright sunshine and temperatures over 20 degrees as the teams kicked off the first Ulrich Haberland Cup since 2019 on the morning of Saturday, 2 July. There were 20 teams competing at the traditional tournament, which was launched in 2009, including Bayer 04 fan clubs, a team consisting of employees and even a fan club from Kickers Offenbach, who arrived with over 40 people, and one from Karlsruher SC.
Werkself players Andrich and Lomb also mingled with the numerous attendees at the Kurt-Rieß-Anlage. The pair visited the fans with head coach Gerardo Seoane after the morning session, watched a few games and also took plenty of time for photos with supporters.
At the end of a successful tournament and day for the whole family, with the only downer being two serious injuries, the Grafen von Berg fan club was crowned the winners.
The Ulrich Haberland Cup traditionally isn’t just about the fun of playing but also about good causes. Proceeds this year from the catering, which the NK12 organised together with ASB [Workers' Samaritan Foundation] Regionalverband Vest Recklinghausen, will go to the children’s palliative care unit at Leverkusen Hospital.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen have extended midfielder Noah Mbamba’s contract by twelve months and sent the Belgian U21 international on loan to France. At FC Lorient, the 21-year-old – whose contract at Leverkusen now runs to 30 June 2029 – is set to gain playing time in Ligue 1 and, through strong performances and further development, put himself in the running for a future place in the Werkself squad.
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Spurred on by a flawless hat-trick from Cornelia Kramer, the Bayer 04 women’s team won their penultimate pre-season friendly in commanding fashion. As part of the season launch, the Werkself beat Dutch top-flight side Feyenoord 7–0. In front of 3,000 spectators at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, Kramer (6’, 25’, 45’), Sofie Zdebel (47’), Maja Sternad (59'), Natasha Kowalski (83') and Vanessa Fudalla (86') scored the goals for coach Roberto Pätzold’s side.
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The Shareholders’ Committee of Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH has extended the contracts of the two managing directors, Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes, ahead of schedule. The CEO, Fernando Carro (62), will continue in his role until 30 June 2029, and managing director sport Simon Rolfes (44) will remain in post until 30 June 2031.
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There’s plenty for Bayer 04 fans to enjoy both on and off the pitch at the official 2026 season launch. In addition to the women’s team taking on Feyenoord at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium at 13:15 CEST and the men’s team facing Sevilla at the BayArena at 15:30 CEST, fans of all ages can enjoy a range of activities – and get to meet Bayer 04 players and former players in the process. The Fanwelt is also offering a special promotion: buy a new shirt and get free printing! Here’s an overview of everything you need to know about the season launch, including the live streams.
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