Season launch 2026
The Werkself are finally back. On Saturday 8 August, Bayer 04 will kick off the 2026/27 campaign with their opening match. But there’s far more than just a double-header in store for Werkself supporters. True to the motto ‘One day. Two teams. One club’, the BayArena and the Ulrich Haberland Stadium will be transformed into a world of excitement.
What makes the season launch special are the games for the Bayer 04 Women’s team against Feyenoord (kick-off: 13:15 CEST, Ulrich Haberland Stadium) and the men’s team against Sevilla (kick-off: 15:30 CEST, BayArena) – and Bayer 04 fans can watch both matches with just one ticket.More than 17,000 fans have already secured their places for this joint season opener.
Alongside the two friendlies, there are plenty of activities on offer, inviting fans to experience the club in a host of different ways. The programme gets underway around the BayArena before the first ball is kicked. Here is an overview of the day:
Supporting programme
The gates on the west side of the BayArena will open at 11:30 CEST. The Legends’ Brunch , the stamp hunt with the Werkself Pass and the exhibition match featuring the Inklusionswerkself will kick off the day.
Legends Brunch
At the Legends’ Brunch, former Bayer 04 players and managing director sport Simon Rolfes will welcome guests to the Bayer 04 beer garden. Those attending include Karim Bellarabi, Paulo Sergio, Falko Götz and Rüdiger Vollborn – representing many other familiar faces from the club’s history.
🥪 As a Bayer 04 partner, Merzenich Bakery is supporting the brunch by providing free fresh bread rolls.
Promotional areas
At the same time, the area around the BayArena is transformed into a world of varied experiences for young and old alike.
🎉Whether it’s the BarmeniaGothaer LED goal wall, FRÜH for beer pong, the goal-shooting challenge, the Multiball, the EVL photo booth, the YouFin Cashbox game, the Zweirad Prumbaum stand, the club’s bouncy castle, children’s face-painting or at numerous other stops – there are activities everywhere for you to join in.
An overview of all event areas, including a site plan, to follow.
Werkself Pass
If you want to explore as much as possible and stand a chance of winning a prize, make sure you pick up your Werkself Pass at the volunteer stand right at the start of the day. Modelled on a traditional passport, it takes Bayer 04 fans on a discovery tour across the entire event site as they collect stamps.
You can get your Werkself Pass here:
📍 West (corner of Piazza/North): Volunteer stand | ⏰ 11:30 –19:04
📍 East (in the family section): Main volunteer stand | ⏰ 13:30 –19:04
There are six tasks in total along the way: the Legends Mission, the Sport Mission, the Knowledge Mission, the Team Spirit Mission, the Partner Mission and the Your Opinion Mission.
You can complete the missions by visiting the different activity areas.
After just four successfully completed missions, you can look forward to some attractive instant prizes.
Anyone who collects all six stamps will also be in with a chance of winning the following exclusive top prizes 🏆:
- ⚽️Match-worn shirt
- 👕One home, one away and one third shirt each from a current player, each signed by the player
- 👕One home, one away and one third shirt each from a current player, each signed by the player in question
- 🎫 2 x Stammtisch tickets (VIP Light) for the home game against Union Berlin
- 🎟 5 pairs of tickets for both men’s and women’s matches
Women vs. Feyenoord
At 13:00 CEST, the Bayer 04 Women’s team will be officially presented at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium, alongside Fernando Carro, Bayer 04 CEO, and a guard of honour formed by the Löwenclub.
Are you a member of the Löwenclub and want to be part of the guard of honour to see the Werkself players close up? Then apply now – up to and including Sunday 2 August – for one of these highly sought-after places! Find out more HERE.
In addition,Vanessa Fudalla, the Player of the Season for 2025/26, will receive the award from a member and Carro.
Just a few minutes later, at 13:15 CEST, the friendly against Feyenoord will kick off.
👋 The BayArena will open in full from 13:30 CEST. The Werkself are due to arrive at the stadium at around 14:00 CEST. During half-time in the Bayer 04 Women’s friendly, the team will then, as a one-off, enter the BayArena via the Ulrich Haberland Stadium – a gesture intended to highlight the shared nature of both teams’ season kick-offs.
Men vs. Sevilla
The Werkself players will be presented at 15:20 CEST. There will also be an official welcome and a guard of honour formed by the Löwenclub.
Are you a member of the Löwenclub and want to be part of the guard of honour to see the Werkself players close up? Then apply now, up to and including Sunday 2 August, for one of these highly sought-after places! More information is available HERE.
In addition, shortly before kick-off, Ibrahim Maza, the Player of the Season for 2025/26, will be presented with an award by a club representative and the management.
At 15:30 CEST, the kick-off follows as the men take on Sevilla in the second friendly of the day.
Decentralised fan experiences
Shortly after the match ends, stadium announcer Pitti Dahl will welcome a number of players and head coach Carles Martínez for a brief chat in front of Stand F1.
🤝 Next up: out of the changing room and into the thick of the action.
👉 Players mingle with the fans at the same time across a total of eight decentralised experience points:
- 🎤 F1 – Q&A session: More players will share exciting insights into their current pre-season preparations, answering questions from fans in the audience and look ahead to the coming season together.
- ⚽ UHS – One-on-one: Whether it’s hitting the crossbar, keeping the ball in the air or football bowling – this is where skill comes into play. Together with the Bayer 04 players, fans can put their skills to the test and compete in various challenges. (Exclusively for members; further information is available HERE.)
- 🌭 Piazza to the west of the BayArena – For a sausage: swapping football boots for barbecue tongs: some of the players help to serve food and drink and take time to chat with the fans.
- 🎯 BarmeniaGothaer – A different take on noughts and crosses: you’ll need a steady aim at the LED goal wall. Beat the players at noughts and crosses to bag some small prizes.
- 🖼️ Fan Box – Creating something to last a lifetime together: Together with the players, fans will design a cross, which will then be permanently displayed on the Fan Box.
- 👕 Fanwelt – Up close and personal: Everyone pitches in at the Fanwelt. Whether it’s applying shirt prints, manning the till or taking part in little eSports challenges, fans get to experience the players in a whole new light. Thanks to Bayer 04 partner Niedax, there’ is also a special promotion waiting for stadium visitors at the Fanwelt.
- 🎬 1904 Lounge – An emotional journey: The documentary *Fierté Burkinabè* follows Edmond Tapsoba on his personal journey and offers moving insights into his story. (exclusive to VIP guests)
- 🎙️ Schwadbud – Talk show: At thisexclusive members’ Q&A, Simon Rolfes and Thomas Eichin will answer members’ questions and share insights into current topics relating to the Bayer 04 women’s and men’s teams. (Exclusively for members; more information is available HERE.)
Ticket-Infos
From the first encounters at the Legends’ Brunch right through to the meet-and-greet with the players after the final whistle, the season launch is all about kicking off the season together. So if you’d like to experience the Werkself and the Bayer 04 Women’s team up close, you can still secure tickets now:
Discounts for members and season ticket holders
- Bayer 04 Club members receive a 25% discount at the online shop (applied automatically at the checkout)
- Season ticket holders will receive one discount code per season ticket by email, which reduces the relevant price by 50 per cent
How to order:
- Online at the Ticket web shop
Delivery:
- All day tickets are available exclusively via the Bayer 04 app in the ‘My Account’ section
- On the Bayer 04 app in the ‘My Account’ section, ticket purchasers have the option to forward their ticket
- It is NOT possible to download the ticket as a Print@home ticket or a wallet file
Payment options:
- Online shop: direct debit, credit card, PayPal
Information on the ticket exchange:
- The ticket exchange will be available from the start of sales
- Tickets for the match can be purchased on the resale platform from the start of individual ticket sales
Further information:
- Full details on the process for purchasing public transport tickets can be found HERE.
- The away section is located in Block G5; tickets can only be purchased through the visiting club.
- Standing areas SG1 to SG3 and the seated block G4 form part of the home end.
News
Log on and watch live: Stream Werkself pre-season games
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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Season launch: Club members take on the players at UHS
Have you always wanted to test your skills against the Werkself players? At the 2026 season launch on Saturday 8 August, as a Bayer 04 Club member, you have the chance to make that dream come true! Apply now, up to and including Sunday 2 August, and secure your place to take on Bundesliga players in a wide variety of challenges on the pitch at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The selected Club members will also each receive two tickets for the season launch.
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Season launch: Exclusive Q&A with Simon Rolfes and Thomas Eichin
Fancy asking the Bayer 04 managing director sport and the director of professional teams a question? You have the chance to do just that at the exclusive members’ event as part of the 2026 season launch. Following the men’s friendly against Sevilla on Saturday 8 August, Simon Rolfes and Thomas Eichin will be on hand to answer questions from Club members at the Schwadbud. Apply now, up to and including Sunday 2 August, to secure your place and find out from the pair everything you’ve always wanted to know. The selected club members will also each receive two tickets for the season launch.
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Season launch: Löwenclub guard of honour for first teams
Great moments for our youngest fans: As part of the 2026 season launch on Saturday 8 August, the Bayer 04 men’s and women’s Bundesliga teams will once again be greeted by a Löwenclub guard of honour before their pre-season friendlies. Are you a member of the Löwenclub and would like to see the Werkself players up close? Then apply now, by Sunday 2 August, for one of these coveted places! In addition, all selected participants will receive two free tickets from Bayer 04 for the season launch – one for themselves and one for a guest.
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