Participa­tion in Black and Red

Nine matches against teams from nine countries, two penalty shoot-outs won, and encounters that go far beyond the world of football: just as last year, the Inklusionswerkself enjoyed an extraordinary week at the 2026 Genuine Cup in Houston, USA, creating 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 kits. Alongside 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.

Message from Malik Tillman

The Inklusionswerkself experienced their first ‘wow’ moment even before they set off, when Werkself player Malik Tillman – who was playing at the FIFA World Cup in the USA just a few weeks earlier – got the team in the right frame of mind for the tournament. The midfielder also gave the squad tips on how to cope with the Texan heat, but high temperatures were not the only challenge.

Even just making the journey to Houston required the participants to summon a great deal of courage: for many, it was their first trip abroad, compounded by the unfamiliar language, new routines and the time difference. This was no easy task for the players, who live with various disabilities and rely on personalised support. Some suffer from anxiety disorders or have difficulty concentrating, whilst others find it hard to filter out sensory stimuli.

With the help of the coaching and support team, however, the Inklusionswerkself quickly rose to the challenges and began to enjoy the international matches against the other teams. “It was an unforgettable experience for them,” said team manager Elisabeth Garcia. “For many of them, it was the first time they’d met people from so many different countries. We’d like to express our sincere thanks to the organisers.” The Genuine Cup brings together 53 teams from 53 countries to focus on participation and community in a sporting environment – transcending borders, languages and cultural differences. 

From NASA to consulate general

Before the Inklusionswerkself got down to business on the pitch, they paid a visit to the NASA Space Centre. For many, this glimpse into space marked a special start to a special week, which also included a visit to the Houston Saengerbund, a music society with German roots. At the invitation of the German Consulate-General, the Leverkusen team enjoyed an evening there with typical American food and in the company of the Deputy Consul-General, Dr Nicola Gotthardt.

"The progress has been impressive"

The Inklusionswerkself finally enjoyed some thrilling encounters on the pitch as well. Despite two defeats at the start against Peñarol Inclusivo (Uruguay) (0–4) and Rangers (Scotland) (0–1), the Leverkusen side began to gel more and more. And before long, the Black and Reds were rewarded for their efforts in temperatures consistently ranging from 33 to 36 degrees.

Bayer 04 secured a convincing 6–2 victory over FC Andorra Genuine and immediately bounced back from the subsequent setback – a 7-1 defeat against Ajax Only Friends (Netherlands) – with two 5–2 wins against Special Olympics Ukraine and Wrexham (Wales).

Head coach Niclas Albers also felt it was a strong performance: “The progress our team has made this week has been impressive. The players have really risen to the occasion and have implemented our tactical and playing instructions with increasing effectiveness. That makes us, as the coaching team, incredibly proud.”

 

 

"I'm proud to be part of Bayer 04"

As is customary in the Genuine Cup, the teams were again divided into groups of evenly matched opponents this year based on their initial results. There, the Inklusionswerkself continued their upward momentum, first defeating JR-SP/Andreense from Brazil on penalties (3–1) and then also beating the Mexico side (3–1).

The Black and Reds deservedly reached the final of their group stage, where a hard-fought match against the Croatian side ended goalless. Once again, the match had to be decided on penalties – and once again, the Inklusionswerkself had the edge. Leverkusen won 2–1 and celebrated with great emotion afterwards.

“I’m very proud to be part of this team and part of Bayer 04,” said captain Marvin Kruse, adding: “We’re grateful for this opportunity and we have all given our all here. For us, it’s always something very special to fight for the Werkself’s success.”

 

More Inclusion, more Werkself

Both on and off the pitch, the Inklusionswerkself experienced special moments once again at the Genuine Cup. Where a common language was lacking, gestures, a smile or a round of applause helped to bridge the gap. Opponents became friends – differences did not divide them, but were shared. The happy faces of the many participants from every corner of the globe showed that inclusion works when people are given the right support and a real platform. Because football really does belong to everyone.

However, the trip to Houston is not set to be the only highlight for the Inklusionswerkself, as team manager Garcia declared: “Our aim is to continue developing the Inklusionswerkself and to raise the profile even further as an integral part of Bayer 04.”

The Inklusionswerkself will be in action as early as this coming weekend at the 2026 season launch. As part of a warm-up match ahead of the Bayer 04 Women’s game, the Inklusion players will showcase their skills at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium and are looking forward to welcoming plenty of fans in the stands.