The club is thereby raising attention for an important issue. Every year on 17 November the focus is on premature births and associated implications. 60,000 children are preterm in Germany. That means every tenth child is born before the 37th week of pregnancy. Premature babies are the biggest child patient group in Germany. Even though chances of survival are good these days due to medical progress, many families are still confronted with this issue.
The idea of lighting up individual buildings (Purple for Preemies) originally comes from the American organisation March of Dimes and it is growing in popularity. In addition to the BayArena, other buildings to be bathed in purple include the Empire State Building in New York, the castle in Heidelberg and the Bettenhochhaus ward tower block at the Charité hospital in Berlin.
The Klinikum Leverkusen hospital is also centre stage on World Prematurity Day. Former patients and their parents have been invited to the hospital grounds to meet up for a lantern procession under the motto of 'Purple for Preemies – Lila für Frühchen'. Players from the Bayer 04 Women's team will also be at the procession to raise awareness of the issue.
Klinikum Leverkusen is the main centre for the care of premature babies for the other hospitals and clinics in the city as well as in the Bergisches Land. With around 1,600 births per year it is one of the most experienced maternity hospitals in the region. 345 premature babies were treated there last year. Given the particularly high quality of care, the smallest preterm babies with a birthweight of 500 grammes or less survive. Bayer 04 has been involved in a partnership with the hospital for many years.
Bayer 04 turned in a dominant performance in a 7-0 win against fifth-tier side Sportfreunde Baumberg in their first friendly ahead of the 2026/27 season. A brace from debutant Afonso Moreira (19', 27') either side of a Christian Kofane strike (23') put the Werkself 3-0 up in the first of the two 35-minute halves in Monheim am Rhein. After the break, Victor Boniface (49', 53'), Robert Andrich (56') and Nathan Tella (67') scored for the completely changed Leverkusen team. It was therefore a successful friendly debut for new head coach Carles Martínez and his team, although the hosts also had something to celebrate despite the defeat: the match marked the inauguration of Baumberg's new ground, the MEGA Stadion.
Show more
Attention, Werkself fans: the new Away Matchday Collection is now available from the Bayer 04 online shop and the Fanwelt. It includes t-shirts, zip tops and jackets.
Show more
Season tickets for the Werkself home matches in the new Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga season are now on general sale. The season ticket is valid for all 13 matches at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium. The first home match will be played between 28 and 31 August against the runners-up, VfL Wolfsburg, followed by the clash with the German champions, Bayern Munich, between 11 and 14 September.
Show more
A new team, a new environment, a new challenge—and yet one thing remains the same for Afonso Moreira: his attitude. Total dedication, discipline, and the drive to improve every day have defined the Portuguese player since his early days at Sporting CP. “Even back then, I realized I had to work hard to achieve my goals,” said the 21-year-old. His parents also instilled those values in him from a young age. Values that have driven him ever since, accompanied him to France when he signed for Lyon, and now also form the foundation for his new chapter at Bayer 04. At a media session, the lightning-fast winger spoke about his values, as well as his new teammates, the new coach, and his targets at the club.
Show more
