A total of 16 teams took part in this year's football tournament, including the inclusion teams from Bayer 04, TSV 1860 Munich and other well-known clubs. The ‘Simply Football’ Cup is organised every year by the works club - with the active support of many of the players' parents. Once again, the focus was on the participants having fun. Beaming faces could be seen everywhere in the Ostermann Arena. For six hours, the participants played against each other in front of an impressive and cheerful crowd. In addition to the fun had by the participants, the aim of the ‘Simply Football’ programme is the long-term participation of people with disabilities in club football and inclusion in organised sport.
Another highlight for many participants and spectators was the visit from Melissa Friedrich and Ida Daedelow. After a short discussion, the two Bayer 04 Women players signed numerous autographs and took time for lots of photos with their fans. "It's just nice to see that everyone is having fun. The result doesn't matter to the participants and they enjoy the moment," said centre-back Friedrich, summing up her impressions. Daedelow, 17, came to a similar conclusion: "The participants had a great day and a lot of fun. It's impressive how welcoming the people are. I would come here again and again and I think that everyone learnt a lot from each other." Brian the Lion also made an appearance at the autograph session and fulfilled the wishes of those in attendance.
Away from the pitch, there was also a shot power test and a scavenger hunt, where the participants enthusiastically and curiously tried to solve little puzzles. The proceeds from the sale of food and drinks throughout the event went to the Bayer 04 inclusion team.
The Werkself's training camp in Weimarer Land all in one place: in our daily blog you'll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day three (Tuesday 4 August) begins with a thorough open session on the pitch. After lunch, some players have media engagements at the team hotel, and then the team come together for a barbecue in the evening.
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Nine matches against teams from nine countries, two penalty shoot-outs won, and encounters that went far beyond football: As with last year, the Inklusionswerkself enjoyed an extraordinary week at the Genuine Cup 2026 in Houston, USA, and made memories that will last a lifetime. This year, the Leverkusen side took part as Germany’s official representatives and, accordingly, took to the pitch in Germany kit. Together with 53 teams from 53 nations, the Black and Reds once again sent a powerful message of inclusion and participation – and also impressed on the pitch by winning their group.
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The Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land all in one place: in our daily blog, you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. The programme for day two (Monday, 3 August) centres on two training sessions – one in the morning (open to the public) and one in the early evening (behind closed doors) – at the nearby training grounds. In the afternoon, fans can look forward to a big fan meet-up with club legend Paulo Sergio at Schloss Blankenhain.
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“Say hello to the Werkself!” – With this request, Loïc Bade gathers everybody in front of his GoPro: Including team-mates like Ibrahim Maza, Lucas Vázquez, Aleix Garcia and Ernest Poku, or Bayer 04 CEO Fernando Carro, head coach Carles Martínez, or even the reception team at the Spa & GolfResort Weimarer Land. In between, there are glimpses of the pool area and the Werkself’s team quarters. Enjoy!
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