Florian Kohfeldt extends contract
SV 98 and Florian Kohfeldt are moving forward together. The 43-year-old has extended his contract with the Lilies.
29.05.2024 / English
2. Bundesliga: All the facts at a glance
As of yesterday evening (May 28th), the starting field for the upcoming 2024/25 second division season has been complete. The Lilies face exciting opponents and there are some interesting away trips on the agenda for the SV 98 fans. But where is the league's largest stadium? And who actually plays in the 2nd Bundesliga the longest? We answer these and many other questions in this message.
The clubs at a glance
The biggest stadium
74,475 spectators fit into the Berlin Olympic Stadium. Hertha BSC has played its home games here since 1963 – there was only a one-year break in 1987. The third largest stadium in Germany was built in 1934. After several changes after the Second World War, a roof was installed over at least some parts of the stadium for the 1974 World Cup. The new renovation was also based on the World Cup: Italy were crowned world champions here in 2006. The Olympic Stadium was converted for this purpose between 2000 and 2004, and since then over 74,000 spectators have been able to watch Hertha games. The stadium will be the focus again in the summer of 2024; in addition to the annual DFB Cup final, the new European champions will also be crowned here.
The smallest stadium
SV Elversberg plays in the smallest stadium in the 2nd Bundesliga. The URSAPHARM Arena on the Kaiserlinde has space for 10,000 spectators, with 6,300 standing places, there are almost twice as many standing places as there are seats. The stadium was opened in 1983, and since the floodlights were overhauled, evening games have been played again since 2013. This was particularly important for the SVE with regard to licenses for the 3rd and 2nd leagues. The last game of the Lilien on the Kaiserlinde was also an evening game – on Friday, December 20th, 2013, the team of the then coach Dirk Schuster won 3-0 in Saarland.
The furthest away trip
Hertha’s home ground is not only the largest in the 2nd Bundesliga, but also the furthest away for the SVD team and fans. At 572 kilometers, the Lilies‘ visit to the Olympic Stadium will be the longest away game of the season. Our last trip to Hertha in particular is certainly still in the minds of some 98er fans; on the 33rd matchday of the 2015/16 season, SVD achieved a 2-1 away win and thus secured their place in the Bundesliga.
The shortest away trip
Next season we will be going back to Betzenberg to face 1. FC Kaiserslautern. At 104 kilometers, this game will be the shortest away trip of the season – the Lauterers‘ big rival, the KSC, is three kilometers more from Böllenfalltor. The first sports field was on the Betzenberg as early as 1920, and in the 1930s the stadium had a capacity of 18,000 spectators. Today’s Fritz Walter Stadium was one of the venues for the 2006 World Cup, and the women’s European Championship final in 1995 was also played here. The Lilies last visited the Betze in September 2022, after a furious game there was a 3-3 draw thanks to Aaron Seydel’s equaliser in the first minute of added time.
Promoted Teams
SC Preußen Münster is back in the 2nd Bundesliga! After their 2-0 home win against SpVgg Unterhaching on matchday 38 of the 3rd league, Münster is back in the second division. The last time the Münster team could call themselves that was in 1991, after which they only played third or even fourth division. Coach Sascha Hildmann’s team has achieved something special: after promotion from the regional league to the 3rd league, they have now made a direct breakthrough. A walkthrough? This was achieved not only by Preußen Münster but also by fellow promoted team SSV Ulm. After 22 years of abstinence from professional football, Ulm was promoted last summer from the regional league to the 3rd league and now to the German lower house of football. The “Spatzen” last played there in the 2000/01 season. The third newcomer this year comes from Regensburg. After just one year in the third division, SSV Jahn was promoted straight back up via a 4-3 aggregate win over Wehen Wiesbaden.
Longest in the 2nd league
With the rise of Holstein Kiel and FC St. Pauli, there is a new dinosaur in the second Bundesliga: Hamburger SV. The Rothosen have been playing in the second division since the 2018/19 season and are now entering their seventh season. No other club is currently active in the league for longer. Particularly bitter: HSV never finished worse than fourth place in the league and always narrowly missed out on promotion. Hamburg failed twice in relegation, and there were four fourth places in the table.
Long-running favorite in the 2. Bundesliga
SpVgg Greuther Fürth will be entering their 35th season in the 2nd Bundesliga. This puts the Franconians at the top. No other team has played more seasons in 2. Bundesliga. Hannover 96 is in second place among the reigning second division teams, and the Lower Saxony team is entering their 29th second division season. From 1997 to 2012, Fürth played continuously in the second division, then went to the Bundesliga for a year, followed by eight seasons in the second division.
The no longer newcomer to the 2. Bundesliga
The Elversberg team finished their debut season 2023/24 in a strong eleventh place in the table, and in some cases the SVE even had a sniff of the first third of the table. After the Saarlanders were promoted from the regional league to the 3rd league in 2022, Elversberg was even promoted to the 2nd Bundesliga for the first time last summer. And the midfield position in their first season showed that it shouldn’t just be a stay for one season.
Fan information for the Münster game
The second consecutive away game, and the last of the season, is upon us. Once again on a Sunday (May 10th, 1:30pm), Darmstadt will be playing away – this time against SC Preußen Münster. Everything you need to know for your final away trip of the season to the LVM-Preußenstadion, about three and a half hours away, can be found here in the usual fan information section.
+++ 98th Baby | Bölle Gang at the traffic school +++
There's a lot going on at the Bölle. The 98th Darmstadt baby of 2026, along with their family, visited the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor, and they weren't the only ones. Where else the Bölle gang has ended up, and many more news items about the club, can be found here in our "Lilies Across the Board" section, as every Wednesday.
Season tickets for the 2026/27 season: All information is available here!
SV Darmstadt 98 informed all season ticket holders about the season ticket procedure for the 2026/27 season on Wednesday (May 6th) and would also like to share this letter on the club's own website.
Merck Autograph Session: With Pfeiffer, Klefisch and Lakenmacher
Autographs, photos, and personal encounters with the Lilies: You'll have the opportunity to do so on Thursday (May 7th) from 5pm to 6pm. As part of an autograph session presented by Merck, Patric Pfeiffer, Kai Klefisch, and Fynn Lakenmacher will be at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. You'll also receive a ten percent discount in the fan shop during this time.
Disappointment & pride
Darmstadt's 2-1 defeat at Karlsruher SC also ended any remaining theoretical hopes the South Hessian club had of finishing the season in the top three. The loss at the Wildpark stadium served somewhat as a symbol for the past few weeks, during which SV 98 had only managed one point from five matches since the international break in March. Following the game on Sunday afternoon, the Darmstadt players addressed the assembled media representatives with mixed feelings.
Merx hat trick: U21 deservedly wins at Hünfelder SV
Three points! SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team secured a victory in the Lotto Hessenliga on Saturday afternoon (May 2nd). In their match against Hünfelder SV, the young Lilies overcame an early deficit to clinch a convincing 3-1 win. This result puts the U21 team currently outside the relegation zone. "Our trend is clearly upward," said a delighted U21 coach Sebastian Schmitt.
HBRS and SV 98: Cooperation extended indefinitely
The successful collaboration between the Hessian Disabled and Rehabilitation Sports Association (HBRS) and SV Darmstadt 98 will continue long-term: Both partners have extended their existing agreement to promote inclusive sports indefinitely. This sends a clear signal for the sustainable development of inclusion and disability sports in Hesse.
„We must take the lead in the first half.“
A bitter end in Karlsruhe: After 90 entertaining minutes in which both teams sought salvation in attack, Darmstadt suffered a narrow defeat. The final score was 2-1 after a late goal from the home side, following Isac Lidberg's earlier equaliser. After the match, the players were particularly frustrated with the missed opportunities in the first half.
Lilies lose in Karlsruhe
The away form continues to be poor: SV 98 suffered a 2-1 (0-0) defeat against Karlsruher SC. Lidberg scored the equaliser for the team from southern Hesse in the 70th minute.
Team News: Five Changes in the Team
Darmstadt 98 visit Karlsruher SC on matchday 32 (May 3rd, 1:30 PM). Florian Kohfeldt has made five changes to his starting lineup. Killian Corredor replaces the injured Fraser Hornby, Aleksandar Vukotic comes in for the suspended Patric Pfeiffer, and Fabian Holland starts in place of Matej Maglica, who is sidelined with an ankle injury. Merveille Papela and Niklas Schmidt also join the team, replacing Sergio Lopez and Yosuke Furukawa. In addition to Hornby, Pfeiffer, and Maglica, Darmstadt will also be without the injured Matthias Bader, Fabian Nürnberger, and Luca Marseiler.
Matchday Guide: All Information before KSC Game
Finally, the weekend is here, finally Sunday! On Sunday afternoon (May 3rd, 1:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will face Karlsruher SC away. What do the two coaches have to say about the match, who will be refereeing, and where can you watch it if you're not at the stadium? All the important information about the Lilies' 32nd matchday is compiled for you here in "Matchday Guide".