Bayer 04 have therefore decided, in the interests of health protection, that all the club's home games – including the women's and youth team fixtures – plus the first team training sessions will be held behind closed doors with immediate effect.
The City of Leverkusen issued an order banning all events for over 1,000 people on 12 March until further notice. Events with less than 1,000 people attending can take place under certain circumstances. The organiser must keep a list of the names, addresses and telephone numbers for each participant. In addition, visitors from areas categorised as risk areas by the Robert Koch Institute at the time of the event will not be able to attend.
Against this background and in the interests of health protection and the protection of everybody involved, Bayer 04 Leverkusen have decided to play all the club's home games behind closed doors until further notice. In addition to Werkself fixtures at the BayArena, that also applies to games for the women's team and the youth teams at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium and the Kurtekotten Academy. Furthermore, all the first-team training sessions will also be held behind closed doors with immediate effect.
Standing on the pitch where the Werkself players perform - for many Bayer 04 club members, this wish became reality at this year's Members' kickabout. Around 400 active participants of all ages took the opportunity to experience the BayArena from a new and special perspective. And there was also plenty going on in the stands: The event attracted more than 1,000 visitors in total and provided an atmospheric end to the season.
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Lying third in the Bundesliga, the Werkself made a faltering start in 2026 after the winter break, but gradually rediscovered winning ways and, as in the previous campaign, were among the top 16 in Europe and the top four in the DFB Pokal. In the Bundesliga, the Werkself also remained in the race for Champions League qualification right to the end. However, because setbacks repeatedly crept into the Werkself's performances between good displays and crucial games, it was not quite enough to secure a UCL spot in the end. A season with many ups and downs brought sixth place and qualification for the UEFA Europa League. Part II of the review of the 2025/26 season.
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Rogier Meijer is leaving Bayer 04 Leverkusen and returning to his native Netherlands: The 44-year-old will take over at Eredivisie club Sparta Rotterdam on 1 July. Meijer has been part of the Werkself coaching set-up since the start of the 2025/26 season - first as assistant coach to Erik ten Hag, then on Kasper Hjulmand's staff.
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Following the final match of the 2025/26 season, the prevailing feeling was naturally one of disappointment after missing out on qualification for the Champions League. The Werkself finished the Bundesliga in sixth place, meaning they'll start the 2026/27 campaign in the Europa League. "But to talk negatively about everything now because of that would be wrong," stressed captain Robert Andrich following the final game, knowing that the past year at Bayer 04 was marked, more than almost any other, by the start of a new era and the courage to change – and in particular, the belief in a positive direction. Everyone was aware this process would need time. The first part of the 2025/26 season review.
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