On the occasion of the confirmed relegation of the Lilies, the executive board of SV Darmstadt 98 addressed the public with an open letter.
Dear lily fans, partners & friends,
Unfortunately, the season didn’t end the way we wanted it to before the season started. At the end of the previous matchday it is clear that we will be competing in the 2nd league again next year. We were all longing for the Bundesliga and were looking forward to the season in which we deserved promotion after two fantastic years in the second division under coach Torsten Lieberknecht. Of course, everyone inside and outside the club was aware that it would be a challenging Bundesliga season. But it’s one thing to prepare for it. The other thing is to feel the gravity of the task firsthand.
The season so far has shown that our team doesn’t give up and has mostly thrown everything into the balance in terms of fighting. Despite this long winless streak, the team has remained intact and has picked itself up again and again. In the end, however, it remains sober to say that we deserved to be relegated. Unlike in previous years, this time we did not manage to overperform relative to our economic possibilities. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, we were unable to get into a proper sporting flow throughout the season.
As part of our overall sporting analysis, we must and will carefully analyse the reasons for the relegation internally. And as we do after every season, we work together to find out what could have gone better. We definitely didn’t do everything right this season, and we in the presidium are also self-critical of ourselves.
We can completely understand that some people are frustrated by the low point yield. We are too. We are all the more impressed by the sensitivity of the fans, partners and sponsors who support us with this passion and loyalty throughout the entire season because they know that the Bundesliga is something special for the Lilies. The majority of our followers can correctly assess and classify the situation – as they did after the recent game against Heidenheim. And even if something goes wrong, like after the Augsburg home game, the fan scene’s internal reappraisal works. We can only take our hats off to that.
This unity and solidarity are a valuable asset that we must maintain. Because the coming second division season will also be challenging. First of all, we want to finish the season cleanly together and collect as many points as possible. And then, with the right conclusions from the current Bundesliga season, we will build on the overall positive development of the past few years.
Your Presidium
On Tuesday evening (October 13th), the SilberLilien took part in SV Darmstadt 98’s Stolperstein tour for the first time. Along the approximately six-kilometre route, the participants made several stops to learn more about the fates of Jewish club members who were persecuted and driven out during the Holocaust.
From new grassroots sports offerings and a look back at the club's history to birthdays and the latest updates from the media briefing—there is plenty to report from SV Darmstadt 98 again this week. In "Lilien Across the Board," we round up the news, insights, and stories from life at the club.
Tickets for the home match against 1. FC Heidenheim on November 22nd are available for purchase now.
SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team proved their mettle at home against KSV Hessen Kassel II in the Hessenliga on Sunday (Oct. 11th). After a convincing 90-minute performance, the Young Lilies secured another three points, finishing with a decisive 4–0 victory that lifts them to sixth place in the standings.
The Lilies overturned an early deficit to celebrate a 3–1 home victory against Energie Cottbus—a win that boosts confidence and confirms the progress being made. Read our analysis to find out why there is still work to be done and what positives SV 98 takes away from the match.
This season, too, Lilien fans will be doubly rewarded for every home goal scored by SV Darmstadt 98. In addition to the joy and excitement of the goals, the team's supporters will receive 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every home goal scored by Darmstadt at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
After the international break, Darmstadt 98 returned to the Bölle with a home win! Against Energie Cottbus, SV Darmstadt 98 put on a spirited performance in front of their home crowd and rewarded themselves with three points after an intense match. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you here:
Despite falling behind, Darmstadt secured their second consecutive home win! Darmstadt defeated Energie Cottbus 3-1 (1-1). The home side equalised after conceding an early goal in the four-minute period through Weißhaupt before halftime. Vukotic headed his team into the lead in the second half, before Lührs sealed the victory with the third goal. This home win brings Darmstadt's season total to seven points.
Homegame at Böllenfalltor (10/10, 1pm): Florian Kohfeldt has made two changes to his starting XI compared to the away match in Wolfsburg three weeks ago. Richter and Mikelbrencis come into the starting lineup for Sickinger (calf issues) and Lannert (illness).
On Saturday afternoon (October 10th, 1pm), SV 98 hosts Energie Cottbus at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor for Matchday 7. What do the two head coaches have to say ahead of kick-off? Who is officiating the match, and where can you follow the action live? As always, we have compiled all the key information regarding the game against Cottbus in our "Matchday Guide" feature.
Tickets for the league match in Nürnberg (Nov. 7th) and the cup match in Elversberg (Oct. 27th) are available for purchase now.
For the upcoming home match on Saturday (October 10th, 2026, at 1pm), SV 98 asks you to take note of the following information. Since the start of the season, we have been offering dedicated entrances for women at the west side of the stadium. Additionally, there is a "Bölle Bande" family entrance with easier access at the Karl-Hess-Platz entrance. Please also take note of the information provided by HEAG regarding the autumn break.