"Our aim is to solve this challenge. As the favourites, we will go into this away match with maximum respect and focus. Our target is clearly to go through to the next round," said Achim Feifel, Bayer 04 Women's team sporting director.
Following the last first round tie between the two second division clubs FSV Gütersloh 2009 and FC Union Berlin (2-3 on penalties) the former Germany international Verena Schweers under the guidance of the two-time World Cup winner Renate Lingor drew the 16 knockout games. The twelve top-flight sides from the 2023/24 season plus the two teams promoted from the Women's Bundesliga 2 had a bye in the first round. The 32 teams were divided into North and South regional groups.
The Round of 16 will be held between 22 and 24 November with the quarter-finals following on 11 to 13 February 2025. The semi-finals will be played on 22 and 23 March 2025 with the final again being staged at the RheinEnergieSTADION in Cologne as in previous years, this time on 1 May 2025.
The Werkself are currently in the final phase of their pre-season. The last friendly against Fortuna Sittard will be played on Friday, 23 August (kick-off: 14.00 CEST) at the Kurtekotten Performance Centre with four 30 minute quarters. The team led by coach Roberto Pätzold start the new Bundesliga campaign week later with an away game at SC Freiburg on 31 August (kick-off: 14.00 CEST). That will be followed by the second round tie in the DFB Pokal. The full summer itinerary for the Women can be found HERE.
DFB POKAL SECOND ROUND TIES
Arminia Bielefeld vs Werder Bremen
FC Union Berlin vs RB Leipzig
SV Meppen vs FC Carl Zeiss Jena
FC Viktoria Berlin vs FFC Turbine Potsdam
DJK Wacker Mecklenbeck vs SGS Essen
Hertha Berlin vs VfL Wolfsburg
MSV Duisburg vs Hamburg SV
Kieler MTV vs VfL Bochum
Karlsruher SC vs Bayer 04
FC Nürnberg vs SC Freiburg
SC Sand vs Bayern Munich
FFV Erfurt vs Eintracht Frankfurt
SV Hegnach vs TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs FC Köln
FSV Mainz 05 vs Kickers Offenbach
SC Fortuna Köln vs SV 67 Weinberg
From the 2027/28 season, the Women’s Bundesliga will be organised by an independent league association. Following the unanimous decision taken at the DFB Bundestag (national conference) on Friday afternoon, the league’s separation from the DFB is now official.
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Following the Bundesliga clash against RB Leipzig (Sunday, 20 September, 15:30 CEST), some of the Werkself first team players will be heading off for the first international break of the season. Here is an overview of the Bayer 04 players called up for their national teams and all the details of their upcoming matches.
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A special visit to the BayArena: 222 members from volunteer fire brigades in Leverkusen, the Rheinisch-Bergisch district and the Oberbergisch district watched the Werkself’s 2–0 home win over Slovenian champions NK Celje live in the stadium. Bayer 04 had invited them to the 2026/27 Europa League opener as a thank-you for their tremendous dedication. They watched the match together in Block F4.
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The Bayer 04 U19s have extended their winning run with a fifth consecutive victory on Matchday 5 of the DFB Youth League’s preliminary round. Coach Patrick Greveraars’ side secured a 3–2 (2–1) win in their match against second-placed FC Viktoria Köln, with Burak Kir and Nebe Domnic scoring for the hosts in the first half before captain Ben Hawighorst found the net after the break.
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