Foto: SV 98 11.04.2026 / English
First Home Defeat of the Season
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.
In the opening minutes of Saturday evening’s top match, neither Darmstadt nor their visitors from Hannover managed any significant shots on goal. Hannover registered the first shot of the game after 14 minutes and promptly took the lead: Neubauer fired a shot from the edge of the penalty area, finding the far corner of the net.
Hannover had the next chances as well, but first the Darmstadt defence blocked Neubauer’s shot for a corner on 21 minutes, then Marcel Schuhen saved an attempt by Källmann just 3 minutes later. Darmstadt finally threatened the goal in the 29th minute, but Fynn Lakenmacher’s powerful effort flew wide of the left post.
From the 30th minute onward, the team from southern Hesse gained more control of the game and gradually threatened the goal. Patric Pfeiffer tried his luck from distance, but his effort didn’t seriously trouble goalkeeper Noll with 34 minutes played.
Just before the halftime whistle, the visitors threatened again, but Schuhen saved Källmann’s attempt with his foot. So, after 45 minutes, SV 98 went into the break trailing by a single goal.
After the restart, the game was evenly matched for long stretches, but neither side created any clear-cut chances. However, just as in the first half, the visitors capitalised on their first opportunity of the half: After a quickly taken free kick, Thordarson’s initial shot was saved by Marcel Schuhen, but he nodded the rebound into the net after 57 minutes.
The 98ers struggled to find solutions against the well-organised visitors and thus rarely threatened. With a good 15 minutes remaining, Fraser Hornby found himself in a promising position after a cross from Sergio López, but he didn’t connect cleanly with the ball.
Eight minutes later, Fynn Lakenmacher got his head to the ball, but his effort lacked power. The introduction of Yosuke Furukawa gave some impetus, but after his initial dribble, his shot was too central and easily saved by the keeper with 6 minutes remaining. In the second minute of added time, Hornby came close to pulling one back, but his header only struck the crossbar.
Pictures from the Game
Foto: SV 98 
Foto: SV 98 
Foto: SV 98 
Foto: SV 98 
Foto: SV 98 
Foto: SV 98 
DFB-Pokal: Lilien Travel to Jena
The pairings for the first round of the DFB Cup have been drawn: SV Darmstadt 98 will face FC Carl Zeiss Jena away from home. The draw took place on Saturday evening (June 6th) at the German Football Museum in Dortmund. Under the supervision of DFB Vice President Peter Frymuth, Referee of the Year 2026, Deniz Aytekin, who acted as the draw's host live on ARD, drew the match between Darmstadt and Jena.
Successful German Football ID Championship in Darmstadt
From the warm opening ceremony to the awards ceremony: The German Football ID Championship in Darmstadt offered exciting games, many wonderful encounters and a well-deserved German champion in the Hesse selection, which also included players from the SV 98 ID team.
Kick-off in the Odenwald, training camp again in the Allgäu
The first dates for SV 98's preparations for the 2026/27 second division season have been set: On June 25th, the professional team will return to the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor to undergo various medical tests and performance diagnostics. The first team training session will take place on June 27th in the Odenwald region.
Cup draw on Saturday | Fan team remains in the B-League
Who will SV Darmstadt 98 face in the first round of the DFB Cup? This question will be answered this coming Saturday (June 6th). The draw for the first round will be broadcast live on ARD's Sportschau. We'll be taking a look and providing you with all the information. We'll also be celebrating with the fan team's survival in the Kreisklasse B (eighth tier) and taking a look across the border to Texas in the USA. All this and more for you in "Lilies Across the Board" on Wednesday.
Transfer News: Hornby moves to Wolfsburg
Fraser Hornby's time at Darmstadt 98 comes to an end after three years. The Scottish attacking midfielder is moving to VfL Wolfsburg. Both clubs have agreed to keep the transfer fee confidential.
Impressive run: U21 finishes season with a 5-3 victory
An eight-goal thriller to close out the season. The SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team took to the pitch one last time this season on Saturday (May 30th) – away against FC Eddersheim. The young Lilies secured a 5-3 victory in Eddersheim, finishing the 2025/26 Hessenliga season in eleventh place. Even more remarkable, however, was the U21's run at the end of the season: the Blue and Whites won their last five matches, scoring an impressive 22 goals in the process.
“That makes me very happy and proud.”
Barcelona, Spain. A global city right on the Mediterranean. Over 1.7 million people live here. And one of them is Clemens Riedel. The 22-year-old former Darmstadt player moved from SV 98 to Espanyol Barcelona last summer – from youth academy to professional in the Spanish first division. We spoke with Riedel about his first year in Barcelona, the past season, and his still close ties to Darmstadt.
Contract Extended: Nürnberger stays in Darmstadt
SV 98 can continue to rely on the services of Fabian Nürnberger. The Lilies have extended the expiring contract with the Bulgarian international.
Transfer News: Purchase Option Activated, Dettoni remains at the Lilies.
Grayson Dettoni will continue to wear the SV 98 jersey. The Lilies have exercised their option to buy the defender, who was previously on loan from FC Bayern Munich.
Football ID Championship in Darmstadt | Members‘ Network Meeting
The German Football Championship for People with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) kicks off on Sunday – and it's taking place in Darmstadt's Bürgerpark! Last week, the Darmstadt 98ers' home ground offered a different kind of sporting event: a karate demonstration. We also take a look at the opponents for the new season and celebrate two birthdays this week. You'll find all this and much more about Darmstadt 98 in our usual "Lilies Across the Board".
5-1 in the last home game: U21 secures survival in the league
„I’m proud of you,“ were the words of U21 coach Sebastian Schmitt to the team after they secured their place in the Hessenliga. On Saturday (May 23rd), SV Darmstadt 98’s U21 team had the chance to stay in the league against Turabdin Babylon Pohlheim – and they seized it impressively! The young Lilies delivered a convincing 5-1 goal fest, but at the same time still needed help from other teams to guarantee their survival. However, because their direct rivals, CSC 03 Kassel, narrowly lost in Stadtallendorf, the U21 team was finally able to celebrate.
Volunteer Award 2026: Haftpflichtkasse and SV 98 honour clubs
For the fourth time, the Haftpflichtkasse insurance company and SV Darmstadt 98 have jointly awarded four clubs with the Volunteer Award. The award ceremony, including the presentation of the checks, took place last Sunday (May 17th) before the home game against SC Paderborn at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. The Volunteer Award, established in 2023 by the Haftpflichtkasse and SV Darmstadt 98, aims to strengthen volunteer engagement and promote outstanding projects.