The promotion heroes of 1979 kick-off this black and red weekend. Nearly all members of the team around World Cup winner Dieter Herzog, Fred Bockholt, Jürgen Gelsdorf and Thomas Hörster will be there when celebrations begin in the VIP area at the BayArena at 19.04 CET. An entertaining programme has been put together by Rüdiger Vollborn and Dirk Dreher with historic video and photographic material plus interviews bringing the promotion season and the first years in the Bundesliga to life. A journey through time in the 1970s and 1980s that no Bayer 04 supporter should miss.
Tickets for 'Promotion Day' are available now for five euros (including free drink) from the Bayer 04 Fan Liaison (Bayer 04 Fan House, Breidenbachstraße 46, 51373 Leverkusen) and from 16.00 CET at the home game for the Werkself against Eintracht Frankfurt (5 May, 18.00 CET) from the fan container. Each ticket sold helps to support the 'Kreative Schwarz Rot' club that implements and finances creative ideas for the Leverkusen fans with choreography for example.
While the team under head coach Peter Bosz are battling for important points to qualify for Europe in the match against FC Schalke 04 on 11 May, there will be supporting events on the day of the match celebrating '40 years Bundesliga under the Bayer Cross'.
In March the club called on fans to vote online for the best players over the course of time in the Bundesliga. 12,000 votes were cast and the outcome was the Bundesliga All-Stars – 40 players plus 5 coaches who have all been invited to Leverkusen for the weekend by the management at Bayer 04. Ahead of kick-off, players like Bernd Schneider, Ulf Kirsten, Zé Roberto, Dimitar Berbatov and Bum-kun Cha plus coaching legends Christoph Daum, Klaus Toppmöller and Erich Ribbeck will be honoured in the stadium. The programme of events including a special shirt, and historic matchday magazine and different entertainments will show on 11 May that it is no ordinary matchday at Bismarckstraße.
Experience the history of the club first hand. On Sunday 12 May, fans of the Werkself can meet their heroes of yesterday, today and tomorrow – at the 'Tradition Day' in and around the BayArena. The doors at the BayArena open at 09.30 CET.
The first highlight is a match involving the Bundesliga All-Stars at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The Werkself legends play each other from 10.00 CET. While the All-Stars are toiling on the turf, visitors can make use of the Food & Drink stalls and try out the different games on offer. The West area of the BayArena will be open from 11.30 CET. Fans have the chance to see the press conference room, the VIP areas the Mixed Zone and also get on the team bus. The Bundesliga All-Stars, the promotion heroes of 1979 and members of the current team will be available at different points to talk to fans, sign autographs or pose for photos. The programme will be rounded off with a range of interviews conducted by legend stadium announcer Günter Maczkowiak and his successors Klaus Schenkmann, Pitti Dahl and Tobias Ufer on the stage in the Piazza and at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium.
Tickets (one euro each) for the 'Tradition Day' are available now (Bayer 04 ticket web shop, by phone on 0049 (0)214 5000 1904 or in person from the Bayer 04 shops).
The historical background
Bayer 04 Leverkusen finally reached their target on 30 May 1979. A 3-3 draw with Bayer 05 Uerdingen ensure promotion to Germany's top flight for the team coached by Willibert Kremer. The first Bundesliga campaign started on 11 August 1979 with an away game at Bayern Munich. Bayer 04 have been in the top division since that day – in addition the Werkself only by Munich and Borussia Dortmund share that claim.
This afternoon, Saturday 24 January (kick-off: 15.30 CET), Bayer 04 host SV Werder Bremen, who are winless in their last seven league games. Nevertheless, in their last outing, a 3-3 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt, where they conceded a late equaliser, the Green and Whites did show their team spirit. The Werkself, led by birthday boy Patrik Schick, will be looking to counter this and secure their first three points of the new year on this ‘!Never Again’ remembrance matchday to commemorate the victims of National Socialism. Read on for the latest information in today's matchday news.
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Happy birthday, Patrik Schick! On his special day, it's not just the Czech striker who can look forward to lots of presents and hopefully many more goals – Bayer 04 fans can also get their hands on a free number 14 print when they buy a Werkself jersey today, January 24! In addition, a match-worn jersey belonging to the now 30-year-old will be raffled off among all purchasers next week.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 2-1 win at 1. FC Union Berlin on the 15th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.
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Despite a severely depleted squad and being a player down, the Bayer 04 Women made a winning start to their 2026 campaign. Coach Roberto Pätzold's team won 2-1 at newly promoted FC Union Berlin on Friday night thanks to a last-minute goal. Vanessa Fudalla scored from a direct free-kick (78') and Kristin Kögel (90+2’) in stoppage time for the Werkself, who were reduced to ten players on 68 minutes, on an atmospheric stage at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. As a result, the Black and Reds are now fifth in the table for at least one night at the start of matchday 15.
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The Werkself are looking for the first win of the new calendar year: Ahead of the sold-out Bundesliga home match against SV Werder Bremen on Saturday, 24 January (kick-off: 15:30 CET), head coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke about taking chances, possible winter transfers and a “Lion" returning to the Leverkusen matchday squad.
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