In the run-up to the home game against Eintracht Braunschweig (September 14th/1pm), Florian Kohfeldt answered questions from the journalists present on Thursday (September 12th). How did the first week as head coach of the Lilies go? How great is the anticipation for its premiere at the Bölle? And how does he view the upcoming opponent? We have summarised the most important statements for you.
Personnel update: Paul Will, Matthias Bader and Fabian Holland are missing with cruciate ligament injuries, and Oscar Vilhelmsson is still out with adductor problems.
Of course you don’t want someone seriously injured in the first week. This is tragic, especially for the players. Otherwise, my impression is entirely positive, especially of the team. We had three very intensive sessions. By that I don’t mean that we just walked. We tried to bring a lot of tactical things and game principles into the team. I am also very satisfied with the learning progress. There was a small moment on Tuesday afternoon when we realised that we shouldn’t give any more input because otherwise we might overwhelm the team. But it was important for us to find this point.
The week in the coaching team was also very good. They were intense and long days, we already know where the light switches are (laughs). The support from the staff is great and I also like how they dealt with the injuries because everyone stayed calm and solution-oriented and didn’t panic. We will bring a competitive team onto the pitch on Saturday.
The final talks are scheduled today, then I spoke to all the players. Except for the injured. I received a consistently positive impression from the discussions. It was important to me to get an idea of the team in these individual discussions. Team structure, team chemistry and belief in yourself are there. And then I tried to unite the team behind a little idea of how we would like to play football together. We were not able to shed light on every facet. The main topics were how we could find certain spaces in depth as quickly as possible offensively and how we would behave against the ball in the basic order.
I’ve already tried to distribute roles within the team. For a certain structure. It’s not just about leadership roles. Every player is important. That may be a platitude, but it is true. Each player received an assessment from me as to where I currently see him in this team. It’s also about players who should form an axis. It’s about role players who will have their moments and about players who should develop into a different role over the course of the season. I also tried to convey this in the individual discussions.
Of course, both players would most likely have been in the starting line-up. But as a coach you have to be able to deal with it when there are injuries. We have ideas on how we can deal with this. We have a high number of players, especially in central midfield. There are different options on the right track, but my first thought is: complete trust in Sergio Lopez.
Braunschweig has a lot of speed in the last line paired with new signing Polter, who brings great physicality. They are very good at switching offensively and also have a playful approach, but are not above playing the ball deep under pressure. They are also very strong at offensive set pieces. During the start-up behavior they change a little in height, so there is no completely clear picture. A very experienced team awaits us.
I’m really looking forward to Saturday. I’m looking forward to the atmosphere, the tingling sensation and the feeling of what we’re doing this for. I have never found this feeling anywhere else in my life. Standing in the tunnel, going out and then facing the demands that await you in a game like this. And I’m looking forward to seeing the fans in the stadium for the first time.
Basically, I’m happy when something is at stake. If you’re afraid of competition, then you’re in the wrong place in professional football. But we’re still very early in the season, so I don’t want to talk about a relegation duel. It is of course an important game for both teams, who want to correct their previous start a little. But I don’t want to hang the game too high for the course of the entire season. But it is an important indication of what we have worked on this week.
Attention Lilien fans: During SV Darmstadt 98’s training camp in Bad Wörishofen (Allgäu region)—taking place from July 19th to July 26th, 2026—there will once again be an opportunity to meet the team, chat with the players, and, of course, get autographs and photos. The fan meet-up is scheduled for Saturday, July 25th, following the friendly match against SG Sonnenhof Großaspach. Kick-off for the match is at 12pm.
SV 98 remains active in the transfer market. The "Lilies" have signed Christopher Lannert from Arminia Bielefeld.
Friendly matches, fundraising campaigns, and plenty of photos—that’s what the week looked like for SV 98 and the club’s community. Between their 5–1 victory over FC Homburg and the upcoming friendly in Walldorf this Friday (July 17), the „Lilies“ showed their best side for the cameras. In addition, the SV 98 legends team will face an Odenwald select squad on Sunday (July 19th). You can also win great prizes in competitions taking place in Erbach and at the pop-up store in downtown Darmstadt. Lilies Across the Board brings you all the latest news from life at SV 98.
The Bundesliga finalised the match schedules for matchdays three through six on Wednesday (July 15th): Darmstadt's home game against Hannover 96 on matchday three will take place on Sunday. This will be followed by their away game against 1. FC Kaiserslautern on Saturday at 1pm. The home game against Arminia Bielefeld on Friday evening and the away game in Wolfsburg, also on Friday evening, have also been confirmed.
The Lilies can welcome another new arrival at the Böllenfalltor: Florian Kleinhansl will now wear the SV 98 jersey. The 25-year-old joins on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract with 1. FC Kaiserslautern on June 30th.
Third test, third clear victory. SV 98 won the match against FC 08 Homburg 5-1 (3-0).
SV Darmstadt 98 and the fusion energy company Focused Energy are entering into an official partnership. The aim of the collaboration is to more closely link top-level football and high technology from the Darmstadt region and to jointly generate momentum for innovation and future societal issues.
Killian Corredor will be playing in his home country again in the future. SV 98 has reached an agreement with FC Nantes on the transfer of the Frenchman.
On Tuesday (July 14, 6pm), SV Darmstadt 98 hosts Regionalliga side FC Homburg and asks fans to take note of the following information.
A home game against KSV! SV Darmstadt 98 hosts Holstein Kiel for the opening matchday of the 2. Bundesliga season this Saturday (August 8 at 1pm). Here’s how you can be there: the member pre-sale for the new season's first home game begins this coming Wednesday (July 15) at 12pm —available online and at the ticket shop at the Merck-Stadion, as usual. You can find all further details in this announcement.
For every home goal scored by the "Lilies," SV Darmstadt 98 fans were doubly rewarded during the recent 2025/26 second-division season. Beyond the joy and excitement, supporters received 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every goal Darmstadt scored at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
In recent days, various media outlets have published reports and graphics regarding the distribution of TV revenue for the 2026/27 season. Some of these reports included not only specific figures but also a comparison to the previous season. This comparison indicates a supposed revenue increase of €1.4 million for SV 98 compared to the 2025/26 season.