Heinerfest fireworks on the Lange Lui | Free drinks on the club’s anniversary

A unique opportunity for Lilies members: The Heinerfest fireworks display on the Lange Lui! The grand finale of every Heinerfest is the fireworks on Monday evening – and this year is no exception, specifically on the evening of July 6th. The best spot to watch it? The Lange Lui in the middle of Luisenplatz. This year, 12 Lilies members have the unique opportunity to enjoy the fireworks from there together with a member of the board. Six pairs of tickets will be raffled off.

All members who are registered by the club’s birthday on May 22, 2026, can participate, email mitglieder@sv98.de. How old was SV Darmstadt 98 at the first Heinerfest? Please note before participating in the competition that only a narrow spiral staircase inside the monument leads to the top, and a certain head for heights is helpful.

Happy Birthday, SV Darmstadt 98! On Friday, May 22nd, SV Darmstadt 98 celebrates its 128th anniversary – together with its fans and members. On the founding day, SV Darmstadt 98 invites all its supporters to the founding site at Schlossgartenplatz to celebrate this special occasion together. What’s more, members will receive free drinks on the club’s birthday – while supplies last. Important: Members must register in advance (free of charge). Only with the QR code sent to you after registration will you receive the coupons for your free drinks on May 22nd.

“At the beginning, I didn’t know where this journey would lead,” Fabian Holland revealed in a media briefing on Wednesday (May 13th), when asked about his early days with Darmstadt 98. The Berlin native initially joined the club on loan from Hertha BSC in the summer of 2014. “When you’ve just barely been promoted from the 3. Liga as the third-placed team, you naturally have concerns about how the season might go,” Holland said, describing his initial doubts. What transpired over the next decade is Darmstadt history. Holland added: “To still be here twelve years later, with two promotions, a few years in the Bundesliga, and many appearances as captain – I’m incredibly proud of this period.”

Thank you, legend! For twelve years, Fabian Holland gave his all on the pitch in over 300 competitive matches for SV Darmstadt 98. He sacrificed himself for the club’s colors and embodied unwavering loyalty like few others. This week marks his last with the Lilies. This coming Sunday (May 17th), Holland will take to the field in the SV Darmstadt 98 jersey for the final time. In honor of the long-serving captain, a special number 32 flock print is now available online and in the SVD fan shops. A truly special memento!

Kicker magazine is currently giving fans of the 2. Bundesliga the chance to assemble their Team of the Season for 2025/26. Among the options are five Darmstadt players: Aleksandar Vukotic, Matej Maglica, Luca Marseiler, Fraser Hornby, and Isac Lidberg. Join in and include the Darmstadt 98ers in your Team of the Season!

And while you’re at it… The German Football League (DFL) is also holding a fan vote. The DFL is looking for the second division player of the season. Here’s your chance to participate: Two players from SV Darmstadt 98, Fraser Hornby and Isac Lidberg, are in the running. Vote for Isac and Fraser, Lilies!

Progress is being made at the Merck Youth Performance Centre: This week, the container modules for the new functional building were delivered. Once completed, the new building on Kastanienallee will offer space for a total of seven changing rooms, complete with showers, restrooms, and technical equipment. The building will also provide administrative, office, and meeting rooms for the youth performance centre staff.

The season is also drawing to a close for the young Darmstadt teams. The U19s of SV Darmstadt 98 still have two matches to play, the U17s only one more. And the U21s have three matchdays remaining. Here’s an overview of the remaining schedule for the young Darmstadt teams.

U21

U19

U17

Big points in the relegation battle! Things got heated in the Kreisliga B on Wednesday evening (May 6th). Visiting the fifth-placed team, SG Arheilgen II, the SV Darmstadt 98 fan team went into the match as clear underdogs. However, this wasn’t noticeable during the 90 minutes. Despite an early lead, the „second team“ went into the break trailing 2-1. In the second half, however, the fan team turned things around: three goals in twenty minutes gave them a 4-2 lead in the 81st minute. Arheilgen only managed to pull one back to 4-3 in stoppage time, but the „second team“ held on for the victory. These three crucial points in the fight to stay in the league helped the fan team temporarily escape the relegation playoff spot, giving them a six-point cushion above the relegation zone.

A draw with a man advantage. San Antonio FC played to a 1-1 draw away at Phoenix Rising FC last Sunday (May 10th). At the end of the first half, Phoenix Rising received a clear red card, and shortly afterward, they were punished again. Dmitriy Erofeev initially capitalised on the numerical advantage, putting San Antonio ahead 1-0. However, Phoenix equalised in the 80th minute with a well-placed long-range shot from the edge of the penalty area, making the final score 1-1. Despite the draw, the Darmstadt 98 affiliate maintained their lead in the league and their next match isn’t until May 24th, when they host Sacramento Republic FC.

This coming Thursday (May 14th) isn’t just Ascension Day; there’s also a birthday to celebrate within the Darmstadt family. Peter Cestonaro, the former Darmstadt striker, turns 72. He won the German second division championship twice with Darmstadt and scored 93 goals for the club, making him their all-time leading scorer. Happy birthday, Peter Cestonaro, and enjoy the celebrations!