From the football pitch to social institutions in Darmstadt and the surrounding area. The professionals of SV Darmstadt 98 created some very special moments for young and old alike with their visits during the pre-Christmas season. We also report on two topics from the Lilies‘ youth academy and offer a few tips if you’re still looking for the perfect blue-and-white Christmas gifts. You can read these and other news items in our weekly column „Lilies Across the Board.“
In the days leading up to Christmas, the professionals of SV Darmstadt 98 left their football routine behind and visited various social institutions in and around Darmstadt. The focus wasn’t on sport, but on community. Whether at the Nieder-Ramstadt Diakonie, the Z 14 residential and overnight care home, the „DA-HEIM“ therapeutic group home, the Bärenfamilie (Bear Family) children’s home, or the Darmstadt Children’s Hospital: everywhere the Lilies players took time for meaningful encounters. There was laughter, conversation, games, baking, and, of course, posing for photos and autographs. The joy was especially great over small tokens of appreciation: tickets to the Merck Christmas carol concert, as well as gifts and fan merchandise, brought smiles to the faces of young and old alike. The visits made it clear that, especially during Advent, it is often the small gestures that make a big difference – and that true connection extends far beyond football.
Christmas is just around the corner and you’re still looking for the perfect gift? No problem – we have the best gift ideas for you! Whether for family or friends: with our suggestions, you’re guaranteed to make the right choice. Our gift ideas are not only practical, but also show genuine affection and support. Perfect for anyone looking for something special or wanting to bring a touch of blue and white joy to their loved ones.
The Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor in Darmstadt will once again be filled with festive cheer during Advent: On December 22, 2025, the Lilies (SV Darmstadt 98) invite everyone to the grand Darmstadt Christmas Caroling event presented by Merck. Doors open at 4:30pm, and the atmospheric stage program begins at 6:00pm. The event promises a musical and reflective evening for the whole family. Christian Carra from „Strandakustik“ will guide the audience through the evening with a Christmas story. The live band „The Silverballs“ will provide the musical entertainment, the gospel choir „goGospel“ from Traisa will bring a festive atmosphere to the stadium with their songs, and Woody Feldmann will return as a special guest.
Good news from the Darmstadt 98 youth academy. The collaboration with the academy’s partner schools is progressing. For the first time, the Ministry of Education is actively involved in the structure to further strengthen Darmstadt’s role as a hub for school and competitive sports. Björn Kopper, head of the SV Darmstadt 98 youth academy, explained this in an interview with sv98.de. While the Georg-Büchner-School has primarily served as the central partner school in recent years, the concept is now being expanded to include other schools.
The process is still under development and naturally requires time. The youth academy hopes for significant improvements, particularly regarding the scheduling, according to Kopper. The goal is to enable more players to participate in morning training sessions in the future, thereby creating a more professional and performance-oriented environment.
Twice a season – once in the first half and once in the second – a large training event for coaches from Darmstadt and the surrounding region takes place, organised by the Lilies‘ youth academy. Participants now even travel from more distant clubs, so the format reaches around one hundred coaches per session and enjoys great popularity. Another training course will be held next spring in the familiar setting of the main stand at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor.
In addition, the youth academy relies on smaller, decentralised measures: Training courses on various training-related topics, such as athleticism and age-appropriate workload management, are offered at partner clubs. Furthermore, interested coaches have the opportunity to observe training sessions at the youth academy at any time. Depending on availability, insights into the work of different age groups can be provided. Since the number of requests is high and the workload varies depending on the season, not every request can be fulfilled immediately – nevertheless, the youth academy strives to make this access possible for as many coaches as possible.
In the Virtual Bundesliga, SV Darmstadt 98 faced the eFootball teams from Bielefeld and Paderborn on Tuesday evening (December 16th). Despite great effort and some good plays, it unfortunately wasn’t enough for a win. The match against Arminia Bielefeld ended in a 6-10 defeat on aggregate. Against Paderborn, the eLilies again showed their fighting spirit on the virtual pitch, but couldn’t find the rewards. In the end, small details decided the outcome of the match, resulting in a narrow 5-6 loss for SV Darmstadt 98. After these two games, SV Darmstadt 98 currently sits in 20th place in the overall standings.
Darmstadt 98 lost to Hannover 96 while playing with ten men and must continue to wait for their first win of this second division season. Read our analysis to find out what positives remain and why Darmstadt 98 had factored in setbacks on their chosen path.
Around the time of the home game against Hannover 96 on Sunday (August 30th), the Jonathan Heimes Square was officially inaugurated. Before kickoff, club president Markus Pfitzner and Martin Heimes, father of Jonathan Heimes, who died of cancer about ten years ago, gave speeches highlighting "Johnny's" importance and his commitment to people with cancer.
The Lilien Team Marathon is not just about athletic performance and the shared experience around the Böllenfalltor stadium – but also about making a difference together.
The SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team drew 2-2 (0-1) against SV Unter-Flockenbach. After a heated home game, the young Lilies had to settle for a frustrating, but ultimately deserved, draw. In this extremely balanced league, Patrick Kurt's team continues to grow week by week, gaining valuable experience.
An emotional match with many controversial moments unfolded on Sunday afternoon at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Ultimately, Darmstadt suffered their first home defeat of the young season. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you.
Tried everything, but to no avail: SV 98 came up short in their home game against Hannover 96. The final score was 1-0 (0-0) to the visitors, whilst the Lilies had to play with ten men after Vukotic was sent off in the 20th minute.
Home game against Hannover! On matchday 3, Darmstadt 98 will host the ambitious Lower Saxons at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting lineup compared to the victory in Jena. Hiroki Akiyama replaces the suspended Kai Klefisch, while Nicolas Verkooijen (making his first start) and Yosuke Furukawa start in place of Carlo Sickinger and Manolo Merx.
Weekend, Lilies fever! On Sunday (August 30th/1:30pm), the Lilies have their third matchday on the schedule. Hannover 96, the club from the Lower Saxon capital, will be visiting the Bölle. What do the two head coaches have to say before kickoff? Who will be refereeing the match? And where can you watch the game? As usual, we've compiled all the important information about the match against Hannover in our "Matchday Guide"
One day before their home game against Hannover 96, Darmstadt 98 have announced another new signing. William Mikelbrencis will now wear the SV 98 jersey. The 22-year-old Frenchman was under contract with Hamburger SV until June 30th.
In the press conference before the second home game of the still young season, our head coach spoke about, among other things, our team's attacking play and the past week. As usual, you can find the most important statements before the match against Hannover 96 (August 30th/1:30pm) here for you.
A second-division team on the Berlin Mount Olympus: Hannover 96 achieved something unique in 1992. On May 23, the Lower Saxony club defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach in the DFB Cup final, securing another major title in the club's history 38 years after their German championship win in 1954. Hannover became the first and, to this day, only "true" second-division team to win the DFB Cup, causing one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history.
