For many years, fans of 1. FC Magdeburg dreamed of a return to professional football. The club from eastern Germany, which won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1974, was often referred to in Magdeburg as a "sleeping giant." Long trapped in the country's lower leagues, FCM was at one point financially on the brink. But the "sleeping giant" was revived.
Step by step, 1. FC Magdeburg fought its way back up the ladder. Under head coach Jens Härtel, who took over in 2014, the big breakthrough came: In the 2014/15 season, FCM crowned champions of the Regionalliga Nordost and prevailed in two play-off matches against Kickers Offenbach – securing the long-awaited promotion to the 3. Liga. Successful years in professional football followed: two consecutive fourth-place finishes and finally the historic promotion to the 2. Bundesliga in 2018. After a brief interlude in the second division, relegation followed, but the passion and the will to quickly return remained.
Under coach Christian Titz, the Blue-Whites achieved promotion back to the 2. Bundesliga in 2021/22 – this time securing their place in the lower tier of German football, where FCM has played ever since. However, the current standings are not looking good for Magdeburg. After eight matchdays, they are in 18th place.
We took a closer look at 1. FC Magdeburg in our opponent check.
| Top Goalscorers | Top Assists |
| Alexander Ahl-Holmström- 2 Goals | Laurin Ulrich – 2 Assists |
| Jean Hugonet – 1 Goal | Jean Hugonet – 1 Assist |
| Rayan Ghrieb- 1 Goal | Baris Atik – 1 Assist |
| Noah Pesch – 1 Goal | Eldin Dzogovic- 1 Assist |
On Sunday (October 12th), 1. FC Magdeburg released its head coach Markus Fiedler and his two assistant coaches, Andreas Schumacher and Saban Uzun, with immediate effect. The U23 coaching duo of Petrik Sander and Pascal Ibold, along with assistant coach Silvio Bankert, will take over on an interim basis. This interim team is expected to also take the bench next Sunday (October 19th, 1:30pm) at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor, unless FCM hires a new head coach beforehand.
1. FC Magdeburg are actually doing pretty well offensively. The team from the Elbe River is consistently and purposefully pursuing the forward path, which is clearly reflected in the numbers: With a total of 125 shots on goal, FCM is one of the second-division teams that most frequently aim for the opponent’s goal. Only Paderborn (128) and Elversberg (129) are better in this statistic and have recorded more shots on goal. But here comes the big but: The Bördestadt team lacks consistency in their finishing. They have scored just seven goals this season, jointly with Nürnberg, the lowest tally in the league.
It’s a chilly training morning in Magdeburg. The ball bounces off the boot of a young midfielder with a dull thud. Laurin Ulrich briefly raises his head, plays a low pass into the back, and calls out a quick instruction to his teammate. Routine – yet there’s something new in every move. The 20-year-old is considered a strong, technically sound midfielder who can set the tempo and open up space – qualities that Magdeburg could certainly use this season.
Born and raised in East Württemberg, Ulrich’s football career began at TSG Nattheim. In 2016, he moved to the VfB Stuttgart youth team – a move that has become a test case for many young talents from the region. Ulrich quickly attracted attention at VfB: In the 2021/22 B-Junioren Bundesliga, he led his team to the division title as playmaker, scoring twice in the semi-final second leg. This paved the way to the final of the German U17 Championship – an early exclamation mark.
His development did not go unnoticed. In the summer of 2022, Ulrich signed a long-term contract with VfB Stuttgart, and shortly thereafter, he received the silver Fritz Walter Medal – one of the highest honors for young players in Germany. Just a few months later, on November 12, 2022, he made his Bundesliga debut against Bayer Leverkusen. However, Ulrich primarily played for Stuttgart’s second team in the Regionalliga Südwest (Southwest Regional League). He impressed with his consistency and game intelligence: three goals, ten assists, and a decisive contribution to promotion to the 3. Liga (German Third League). The DFB (German Football Association) also recognises his name: Ulrich made his debut for the German U16 national team in 2020, and later captained the U17 team at the 2022 European Championship.
New chapters. For the 2024/25 season, he was loaned to SSV Ulm to gain second-division experience. However, Ulrich rarely played there. He returned to VfB Stuttgart after the winter break – to the reserve team with the goal of returning to his previous form. Since this summer, he has been on loan at 1. FC Magdeburg. A new club, a new opportunity in the 2. Bundesliga. He is expected to bring to FCM’s midfield the qualities that distinguished him in Stuttgart: vision, precision, and the composure to steer the game rather than letting it carry him along.
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.