The German Football League (DFL) released the schedule for the upcoming 2025/26 second-division season on Friday afternoon (June 27). The Lilies will kick off the new season with a home game against Bundesliga relegated side VfL Bochum. SV Darmstadt 98's first away trip will take them to 1. FC Nürnberg. The first half of the season will conclude with an away game against SC Paderborn on Matchday 17.
After the winter break, SV Darmstadt 98 will resume league action away against VfL Bochum between January 16 and 18, 2026. The second division season will conclude with a home game against SC Paderborn on May 17, 2026 (3:30pm) at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. The international breaks for the 2025/26 season are scheduled around the following weekends: September 5-7, October 10-12, November 14-16, and March 27-29.
Paul Fernie: „There’s nothing better than starting the season with a home game at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. With VfL Bochum, we’re looking forward to a challenging and exciting opening match against a club that has played in the Bundesliga in recent years. The DFL schedule offers us interesting, traditional clubs on the first few matchdays, which already increases our excitement and anticipation for the start of the season.“
Game Day |
Match |
Dates |
| 1. Matchday | SV Darmstadt 98 – VfL Bochum | 02/03.08.2025 |
| 2. Matchday | 1. FC Nürnberg – SV Darmstadt 98 | 08. until 10.08.2025 |
| DFB-Pokal, 1st Round | VfB Lübeck – SV Darmstadt 98 | 16.08.2025, 6pm |
| 3. Matchday | SV Darmstadt 98 – Hertha BSC | 22. until 24.08.2025 |
| 4. Matchday | 1. FC Kaiserslautern – SV Darmstadt 98 | 29. until 31.08.2025 |
| 5. Matchday | SV Darmstadt 98 – Eintracht Braunschweig | 12. until 14.09.2025 |
| 6. Matchday | Fortuna Düsseldorf – SV Darmstadt 98 | 19. until 21.09.2025 |
| 7. Matchday | SV Darmstadt 98 – Dynamo Dresden | 26. until 28.09.2025 |
| 8. Matchday | Holstein Kiel – SV Darmstadt 98 | 03. until 05.10.2025 |
| 9. Matchday | SV Darmstadt 98 – 1. FC Magdeburg | 17. until 19.10.2025 |
| 10. Matchday | FC Schalke 04 – SV Darmstadt 98 | 24. until 26.10.2025 |
| 11. Matchday | SV Darmstadt 98 – Arminia Bielefeld | 31.10. until 02.11.2025 |
| 12. Matchday | Hannover 96 – SV Darmstadt 98 | 07. until 09.11.2025 |
| 13. Matchday | SV Darmstadt 98 – SpVgg Greuther Fürth | 21. until 23.11.2025 |
| 14. Matchday | SV Elversberg – SV Darmstadt 98 | 28. until 30.11.2025 |
| 15. Matchday | SV Darmstadt 98 – Karlsruher SC | 05. until 07.12.2025 |
| 16. Matchday | SV Darmstadt 98 – SC Preußen Münster | 12. until 14.12.2025 |
| 17. Matchday | SC Paderborn – SV Darmstadt 98 | 19. until 21.12.2025 |
From the early 1980s, he was active in the service of SV Darmstadt 98 for almost four decades: We Lilies congratulate the former team doctor of SVD, Dr. Michael Weingart, most sincerely on his 75th birthday this Wednesday (April 15th)!
There are five games left in the season, meaning a total of 15 points are still up for grabs. But Darmstadt's focus is entirely on Sunday's match (April 19th, 1:30pm) against Greuther Fürth. From the media briefing with Fabian Nürnberger, from the hockey pitch to San Antonio: We report on all these topics and many more. As usual, you can find all the latest news from SV 98's club life here in our weekly column "Lilies Across the Board."
SV 98 mourns the loss of its former player Roger Prinzen, who passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on Monday evening (April 13th) at the age of 57.
The long wait for a point is over! After four consecutive defeats, SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team finally secured some points. On their home turf, the young Lilies drew 1-1 against TSV Eintracht Stadtallendorf last Saturday (April 11th). Looking at the league table, it was clear even before the match that it wouldn't be easy, as a full ten places separated the two teams in the LOTTO Hessenliga standings. However, the Lilies' U21 team remained evenly matched with the seventh-placed side and collected a crucial home point.
This match is a tradition – at least at the veterans' level: The SV Darmstadt 98 veterans team visited Real Madrid for the third time. The game was played last Thursday (April 9th) at the "Royal Whites'" training ground in the Valdebebas district of Madrid.
The season is drawing to a close, and SV Darmstadt 98's penultimate away match takes them to the Wildpark stadium. On Sunday (May 3rd, 1:30pm), SV 98 will be playing away against Karlsruher SC. We need a large turnout of Darmstadt fans to support them. Advance ticket sales for club members begin next Wednesday (April 15th) at noon. All ticket information can be found in this announcement.
It happened in their 15th home game of the season. Darmstadt lost on their own turf. Deservedly so. Although SV 98 tried everything against the visitors from Hannover until the final whistle, the Lower Saxons proved too strong on Saturday evening. In our analysis, we take another look at the match.
For the first time this season, SV Darmstadt 98 finished a match at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor without any points. The Lilies offered more resistance to Hannover 96's two goals in the second half. However, the pressure exerted by the South Hessians at the end proved fruitless. Read here what the players and both head coaches had to say about the defeat, which Darmstadt considered deserved overall.
Everything has to end and so the undefeated home record of SV 98 ended on Saturday night. Hannover 96 triumphed 2-0 (1-0) to hand the Lilies their first home loss of the season at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
Another top match at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. On matchday 29 (April 11th/8:30pm), Hannover 96 visits Darmstadt. For the clash with their direct league rivals, Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting eleven. The suspended Lidberg and Klefisch are replaced by Lakenmacher and Papela, and Niklas Schmidt comes in for Marco Richter. Bartosz Bialek returns to the Darmstadt 98 matchday squad for the first time this calendar year after recovering from injury.
Once again at 8:30pm, floodlights, top match, and at the Bölle! On Saturday (April 11th/8:30pm), Hannover 96 visits Darmstadt, and once again two teams from the top five meet at Nieder-Ramstädter-Straße. What do the two head coaches have to say before the match? Who will be the referee? And who will be the commentator? As usual, we've compiled all the important information about the game against the Lower Saxony side for you in "Matchday Compact."
