
This year again promises very special highlights for all participants at the Simply Football (Einfach Fußball) benefit tournament for four special schools at the Ostermann Arena (formerly Smidt Arena) in Leverkusen. You can look forward to lots of play and fun as there will be a bouncy castle as well as an autograph session with our Bayer 04 pros. And our Bayer 04 mascot Brian the Lion will also be there to ensure a good mood. There is also a goal wall and big tombola where you can win great Bayer 04 prizes.
Simply football is a joint project between Bayer AG and Bayer 04 Leverkusen that is designed to help children and teenagers with mental, physical or learning difficulties have access to club football. Up to now over 20 agreements have been made between clubs in special schools.
Profits from the tournament will go to the Friends of Hugo Kükelhaus School and Friends of the Martin Buber School.
Participants include FK Austria Vienna, Werder Bremen and Simply Football teams with children and teenagers with mental disability. And, for the first time, our Lions Club will field their own team to play at this years benefit tournament special schools. Entrance is free. So come on down on 5 March between 10.00 and 16.00 CET to support the teams.


The Werkself continue their 2026/27 pre-season preparations with their third friendly against Belgian top-flight side KRC Genk at the Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion on Wednesday 29 July (kick-off 15:00 CEST). Werkself-TV is broadcasting the match live and in full in a stream from 14:50 CEST...

Bayer 04 are back on the pitch. Following the first training sessions, the Werkself play the first pre-season friendly on Saturday, July 18. The match against Oberliga club Sportfreunde Baumberg kicks off at 15:30 CEST in Monheim am Rhein. Fans unable to attend the match can watch head coach Carles Martínez’s first game in charge for free via a livestream at bayer04.de and on the Bayer 04 app, as well as on Werkself.tv (exclusively for members). Just log on and watch the games live. All the other Werkself preseason friendlies leading up to the 2026/27 season will also be streamed live for free.
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Bayer 04 is redesigning the public catering at the BayArena and Ulrich-Haberland-Stadion for the start of the 2026/27 season. Together with new catering partner Aramark, processes will be developed and the service at the stadium will be improved in a targeted way.
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The German Football Association (DFB) has officially recognised Bayer 04 as a centre for the development of female talent for the 2026/27 season. The club was awarded that role on 1 January 2026, and this status has now been renewed.
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Bayer 04 Leverkusen have sold young defender Andrea Natali to AZ Alkmaar on permanent terms. The 18-year-old Italian was on loan at the Dutch club last season, where he mainly played for the reserve team in the second division.
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