That means this weekend’s matches could have been played. But the German Football Association (DFB) has reacted to the political decisions by postponing the forthcoming Bundesliga matchday for U19 and U17 sides.
Like the DFB, the West German Football Association (WDFV) has also cancelled the matchday for junior competitions at the weekend. For Bayer 04, this decision affects the U15s (U15 Regional League West) plus the U14, U13, U12 teams who are all due to play in the youth cups in their respective age groups. The U14 and U13 sides go into the enforced break as league leaders.
While the U12 to U19 postponements are due to decisions at association level, Bayer 04 have cancelled the club’s own U8 to U11 fixtures after internal discussions. That means all the youth teams at Bayer 04 now go into a four-week break in football.
In times of increasing infection rates and contact bans there is a need – as in the lockdown earlier in the year – for alternative training in the form of individual sessions. The youth section at Bayer 04 is already looking at possible options.
“We want to continue to support and develop the lads despite the absence of full training sessions. Of course, health comes first. We are working all the time to provide options for the youth players that take account of the development of the pandemic and at the same time ensure we are able to live up to our role as providers of education and development,” explained Thomas Eichin, the head of the Bayer 04 Performance Centre. “We also always see every change as a chance to focus in the immediate future on aspects that perhaps do not get the same attention in ‘normal’ day-to-day training.”
With sixth place at the end of the 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign, Bayer 04 ended a season in the top third of the table for the ninth time in a row. While the Werkself were narrowly eliminated in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 by eventual finalists Arsenal, the Black and Reds reached the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal for the third season in succession. As in previous years, you once again have the opportunity to vote for your Player of the Season. Voting is exclusively for Bayer 04 Club members and only via the Bayer 04 app up to and including 11 June.
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With 46 points in the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga, the Bayer 04 Women’s team once again broke the previous season's club record and ended up in fifth place - 15 wins is also a record. As in previous years, you now have the opportunity to vote for your Player of the Season. Voting is open exclusively to Bayer 04 Club members and only via the Bayer 04 app by 11 June.
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Standing on the pitch where the Werkself players perform - for many Bayer 04 club members, this wish became reality at this year's Members' kickabout. Around 400 active participants of all ages took the opportunity to experience the BayArena from a new and special perspective. And there was also plenty going on in the stands: The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors in total and provided an atmospheric end to the season.
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Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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