21.05.2025 / English
New Datterich collection | Fan team: Decision on Sunday
SV Darmstadt 98 has released its third streetwear collection in cooperation with Lobster & Lemonade. This time, the focus is on the well-known Darmstadt native Datterich: Secure your favourite item from the limited streetwear collection! Additionally, the fan team will be in full swing next Sunday (May 25th at 1pm) in the Kreisliga C (District League C). The „second second team“ has everything in its own hands to secure promotion on the final matchday. We report on this and other topics related to SV Darmstadt 98 in our weekly column „Lilien Across the Board.“
+++ The new Datterich collection +++
SV Darmstadt 98 and Lobster & Lemonade proudly present their third collaborative streetwear collection, and this time the focus is on a true Darmstadt classic: the Datterich. The dazzling character from the famous dialect play by Ernst Elias Niebergall has long been more than just theater culture. The Datterich is Darmstadt. And he is part of the Lilies‘ club history – not least as a central motif in legendary fan choreographies during the team’s promotion years of 2014 and 2015.
As with previous editions, the Datterich collection clearly sets itself apart from traditional fan merchandise: With unusual colours, subtle designs, and an urban style, it is aimed at all those who want to show their allegiance to the Lilies in a stylish and discreet way in everyday life. The heart of the collection is reinterpreted quotes, in the spirit of the original, but entirely within the Lilies cosmos. This collection is also limited, so be quick and secure your favourite item!
Foto: SV 98 
Foto: SV 98 
Foto: SV 98 +++ Promotion decision postponed +++
In front of an atmospheric crowd, the SV Darmstadt 98 fan team suffered a 1-0 defeat to FTG Pfungstadt on Thursday evening (May 15). In a physical and tactically focused encounter, the hosts proved to be compact and disciplined. With cleverly placed pinpricks, especially through set pieces and counterattacks, they repeatedly posed a threat – one of these attacks led to the decisive goal of the evening as early as the 12th minute.
The Lilies had a lot of possession for long stretches, but rarely found solutions against Pfungstadt’s defensive wall in the final third. Several high-quality chances arose, especially in the first half, but the ball simply wouldn’t find the net on this evening – direct duels with the goalkeeper were unsuccessful on several occasions. Despite the defeat, the team cannot be accused of a lack of effort. The game was close, the result was frustrating – but the starting position remains positive: promotion is still possible, the team still has it in its own hands.
Now the final home game of the season is just around the corner: On Sunday (May 25th, 1pm), the SV Darmstadt 98 fan team will play against the second team of SpVgg Seeheim-Jugenheim. After the last matchday, in which neither the Lilies nor their rivals from Roßdorf managed to score any points, the promotion race remains open. A preliminary decision has not been made. The starting position is clear: Only a win will secure direct promotion and the championship.
+++ U17 shines in the final phase +++
On Saturday (May 17), the SV Darmstadt 98 U17 team celebrated an important 3-1 home win against SSV Ulm in the penultimate match of the season in the DFB-Nachwuchsliga B (German Youth League B) – thus securing a place in the top five and a place in the 2025/26 DFB-Nachwuchsliga (German Youth League) even before the final matchday.
The match began cautiously: The first half was largely uneventful, and the score was 0-0 at halftime. Shortly after the break, the damper came: Ulm took the lead in the 48th minute. But the Junglilien showed spirit and responded promptly, equalising ten minutes later to make it 1-1. A successful final phase ultimately secured the three points for the Junglilien: In the 80th minute, SVD scored to take a 2-1 lead, and another goal in stoppage time made it 3-1. Next weekend (May 24th) the season finale will take place at home against FC 08 Villingen.
+++ U19 challenged in two competitions +++
The SV Darmstadt 98 U19 team made a real statement on Saturday (May 17th), convincingly securing a 4-3 away win at league leaders FC Augsburg on the final matchday of the DFB-Nachwuchsliga B (German Youth League B). The young Lilies got off to a dream start: After just 15 minutes, Darmstadt were 3-0 up thanks to goals in the 3rd, 8th, and 15th minutes. It was a lightning-fast start that visibly shocked the hosts. Shortly before halftime, Augsburg came back with a goal to make it 3-1 (41st minute), reigniting the tension.
But immediately after the break, the Lilies restored their goal difference: The score was 4-1 in the 47th minute. Augsburg, however, didn’t give up and pulled back to 3-4 with goals in the 75th and 83rd minutes. Darmstadt’s defence held firm under the pressure in the closing stages and held on to secure the away win.
With this success, the U19 team finished third in their group in the DFB Youth League B. With the Lilies finishing among the top four in their group, they are assured of a spot in the DFB Youth League next year.
A-Juniors narrowly miss out on reaching the Hessen Cup final
In the semifinals of the Hessen Cup, the Lilies‘ U19 team narrowly missed reaching the final. In a more thrilling semifinal on Tuesday (May 20), the SV 98 A-Juniors took a 2-1 away defeat in extra time against FV Biebrich 02. The home team took the lead in the first minute with a penalty. However, Darmstadt equalised in the 35th minute to level the scores at halftime. After a goalless second half, the game went into extra time, which didn’t end well for the Lilies: In the 107th minute, they conceded the goal to make it 2-1, a result from which they were unable to recover.
+++ 127 years of Lily tradition +++
It was May 22, 1898: the day on which the foundation of a very special club was laid with the founding of FK Olympia 1898. In 1919, the club merged with SC Darmstadt 1905, and from then on, they competed under the name that today makes football hearts beat faster throughout southern Hesse: SV Darmstadt 98. The history of the Lilies is one with many highs and equally honest lows – from the after-work professionals, to their first promotion to the Bundesliga in 1978, to the near-bankruptcy filing in 2008, which was just barely averted. But as is so often the case: anyone who knows SV 98 knows that they can fight their way back from even the most difficult situations.
Today, the club is more stable than ever, both athletically and structurally – much to the delight of many cardiologists in the Darmstadt area. They have been continuously in German professional football for over 14 years, and have been in at least the second division for the past ten years. Legendary chapters like the march from the 3rd Division to the Bundesliga with the Miracle of Bielefeld or the emotional promotion in 2022/23 are deeply embedded in the memory of every Lilien fan.
A club that unites thousands of people in Darmstadt, southern Hesse, and far beyond. On May 22nd, we celebrate 127 years of SV Darmstadt 98 and say from the bottom of our hearts: All the best, Lilien!
+++ Happy Birthday Marco +++
Marco Thiede celebrated his 33rd birthday on Tuesday (May 20). The right-back began his professional career in 2011 at FC Augsburg. After two years, he moved to SV Sandhausen before moving to Karlsruher SC in 2017. In September 2024, he finally moved to SV Darmstadt 98. Thiede made a total of 19 appearances for the Lilies, logging 394 minutes of action. The Lilies wish you a happy birthday and all the best for your sporting future.
+++ Bum-kun Cha turns 72 +++
He was an exceptional striker who had a special reputation not only in his native South Korea. Bum-kun Cha, then 25 years old, was considered technically gifted and tactically mature – qualities that took him all the way to Germany. In the winter of 1978/79, he joined SV Darmstadt 98 with the expectation of giving the Lilies‘ attacking game new impetus. His debut on December 30, 1978 against VfL Bochum was promising: Cha was immediately in coach Lothar Buchmann’s starting eleven, was substituted after 78 minutes, but had played a decisive role in the Lilies‘ 3-1 victory up until then. But that was to remain a one-off appearance. The attacker travelled to South Korea over the turn of the year and never returned. The reason for this was his military service in his homeland, which made it impossible for him to continue his time in Darmstadt.
After his brief stint at Böllenfalltor, Cha continued his career in Germany, including stints with Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen, where he truly made a name for himself. His only appearance for SV 98 may have been brief, but he left a lasting impression.
On May 22nd, Bum-kun Cha celebrates his 72nd birthday. SV Darmstadt 98 sends his warmest congratulations and wishes him all the best!
+++ All the best, Schlappi +++
Klaus Schlappner, former assistant and head coach of the Lilies, also celebrates his birthday on Thursday (May 22nd). The Lampertheim native was initially assistant coach at Böllenfalltor from 1977 to 1980, but also took over as interim head coach for three months after Lothar Buchmann left the club. In 1987/88, Schlappner returned to Darmstadt as head coach and was once again on the Lilies‘ sidelines. His other clubs include SV Waldhof Mannheim, 1. FC Saarbrücken, and Carl Zeiss Jena. Schlappner also made headlines internationally: As China’s national coach, he played a key role in shaping the development of football in the Middle Kingdom from the late 1980s onwards.
SV Darmstadt 98 warmly congratulates Klaus Schlappner on his 85th birthday and wishes him all the best, good health, and many more wonderful moments!
Merck Autograph Session: With Pfeiffer, Klefisch and Lakenmacher
Autographs, photos, and personal encounters with the Lilies: You'll have the opportunity to do so on Thursday (May 7th) from 5pm to 6pm. As part of an autograph session presented by Merck, Patric Pfeiffer, Kai Klefisch, and Fynn Lakenmacher will be at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. You'll also receive a ten percent discount in the fan shop during this time.
Disappointment & pride
Darmstadt's 2-1 defeat at Karlsruher SC also ended any remaining theoretical hopes the South Hessian club had of finishing the season in the top three. The loss at the Wildpark stadium served somewhat as a symbol for the past few weeks, during which SV 98 had only managed one point from five matches since the international break in March. Following the game on Sunday afternoon, the Darmstadt players addressed the assembled media representatives with mixed feelings.
Merx hat trick: U21 deservedly wins at Hünfelder SV
Three points! SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team secured a victory in the Lotto Hessenliga on Saturday afternoon (May 2nd). In their match against Hünfelder SV, the young Lilies overcame an early deficit to clinch a convincing 3-1 win. This result puts the U21 team currently outside the relegation zone. "Our trend is clearly upward," said a delighted U21 coach Sebastian Schmitt.
HBRS and SV 98: Cooperation extended indefinitely
The successful collaboration between the Hessian Disabled and Rehabilitation Sports Association (HBRS) and SV Darmstadt 98 will continue long-term: Both partners have extended their existing agreement to promote inclusive sports indefinitely. This sends a clear signal for the sustainable development of inclusion and disability sports in Hesse.
„We must take the lead in the first half.“
A bitter end in Karlsruhe: After 90 entertaining minutes in which both teams sought salvation in attack, Darmstadt suffered a narrow defeat. The final score was 2-1 after a late goal from the home side, following Isac Lidberg's earlier equaliser. After the match, the players were particularly frustrated with the missed opportunities in the first half.
Lilies lose in Karlsruhe
The away form continues to be poor: SV 98 suffered a 2-1 (0-0) defeat against Karlsruher SC. Lidberg scored the equaliser for the team from southern Hesse in the 70th minute.
Team News: Five Changes in the Team
Darmstadt 98 visit Karlsruher SC on matchday 32 (May 3rd, 1:30 PM). Florian Kohfeldt has made five changes to his starting lineup. Killian Corredor replaces the injured Fraser Hornby, Aleksandar Vukotic comes in for the suspended Patric Pfeiffer, and Fabian Holland starts in place of Matej Maglica, who is sidelined with an ankle injury. Merveille Papela and Niklas Schmidt also join the team, replacing Sergio Lopez and Yosuke Furukawa. In addition to Hornby, Pfeiffer, and Maglica, Darmstadt will also be without the injured Matthias Bader, Fabian Nürnberger, and Luca Marseiler.
Matchday Guide: All Information before KSC Game
Finally, the weekend is here, finally Sunday! On Sunday afternoon (May 3rd, 1:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will face Karlsruher SC away. What do the two coaches have to say about the match, who will be refereeing, and where can you watch it if you're not at the stadium? All the important information about the Lilies' 32nd matchday is compiled for you here in "Matchday Guide".
Paul Fernie extends his contract long-term and moves up to a management position.
Continuity in sporting management: SV Darmstadt 98 has extended Paul Fernie's contract early and for the long term. As part of the contract extension, the current sporting director will move into the club's management board and will now serve as managing director of sport.
„You’ve seen horses vomit before.“
Our head coach spoke at the press conference before the away game against Karlsruher SC (May 3rd/1:30pm) about the mental freshness of his team, the course of action for the remaining games and his coaching colleague, whose commitment to KSC will end after six years this season.
Opposition Check: Karlsruher SC
Left hook, 'One hundred and eightyyyyyyy', and hand over the baton. Doesn't sound like football – and that's true. KSC is often associated with professional football, but with the sheer number of titles the club has won, it's worth looking beyond the pitch. Titles from Baden-Württemberg to Rome.
U21: A Herculean effort whilst down to 10 men wasn’t enough
In a rescheduled Lotto Hessenliga match, SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team hosted SV Hummetroth at their youth academy on Wednesday evening (April 29th) but unfortunately came away empty-handed. Despite a spirited performance and playing with one man less, the score after 90 minutes was 3-1 in favour of Hummetroth.