For the very first time, Energie Cottbus will play an away match at the Böllenfalltor this Saturday (October 10th). The team from Lusatia had to wait twelve years to return to the 2. Bundesliga. Now, their journey takes them to Darmstadt for the first time. This was made possible by Jannis Boziaris, whose goal in Regensburg on the final matchday fired Cottbus back into Germany's second-highest division. Yet the path there began long before that.
Saturday, May 16th, 2026, Regensburg. The final whistle blows, and the stands erupt in jubilation. Cottbus fans storm the pitch. After twelve years, FC Energie Cottbus is back in the 2. Bundesliga. „Never again the 3. Liga“ echoes through the stadium; later, the city welcomes its promoted team with fireworks at the Altmarkt.
The road back, however, was anything but straightforward. In 2014, Energie Cottbus bid farewell to the 2. Bundesliga after finishing bottom of the table. A year later came the drop to the Regionalliga. Although they managed to return to the 3. Liga in the interim, the team from Lusatia could not establish a lasting foothold there either. It was only two years ago that Cottbus once again secured promotion to the 3. Liga. A year later, they came agonisingly close to winning back-to-back promotions on the final matchday.
In the 2025/26 season, that long journey finally paid off. Cottbus took the decisive step in Regensburg on the final matchday. After taking the lead in the 28th minute and saving a penalty in stoppage time, the mission was accomplished. Claus-Dieter Wollitz had led FC Energie back to the 2. Bundesliga after twelve years.
Cottbus managed to secure points in almost all of their opening matches of the season. With a total of eight points from their first six games, the team from Lusatia now sits in seventh place in the 2. Bundesliga.
| Opposition | Result | Outcome |
| FC St. Pauli (H) | 1:1 | 1 |
| Karlsruher SC (A) | 3:0 | 3 |
| VFL Wolfsburg (A) | 4:4 | 1 |
| SpVgg Greuther Fürth (H) | 3:4 | 0 |
| FC Augsburg (H) (Pokal) | 0:2 | Eliminated |
| Top Scorer | Top Assists |
| Tolcay Cigerci – 4 Goals | Moritz Hannemann – 3 Assists |
| Justin Butler – 3 Goals | Leonardo Bittencourt – 2 Assists |
| Dmytro Copado – 2 Goals | Tolcay Cigerci – 1 Assist |
| Lucas Copado – 1 Goal | Justin Butler – 1 Assist |
| Lukas Michelbrink- 1 Goal | Luca Erlein – 1 Assist |
Claus-Dieter Wollitz
Head coach of FC Energie CottbusEnergie Cottbus is currently not lacking in goals. The team from Lusatia has scored a total of 14 times in their last six matches, placing them third in the scoring rankings; only Hertha BSC and Nürnberg have found the net more often during this period. Cottbus also stands out in terms of shots taken, having recorded 98 attempts so far. Combined with their high conversion rate, this gives them the best finishing efficiency in the 2. Bundesliga. Consequently, the newly promoted side ranks among the league’s strongest teams offensively. Matches involving Cottbus have also been action-packed: a total of 27 goals have been scored in their six games to date—an average of 4.5 per match—a figure unmatched by any other team.
Sunday, August 9th, 2026—the opening matchday of the new season. The people of Lusatia have waited twelve years for this moment. Now, Energie Cottbus is back on the pitch in the 2. Bundesliga. Tolcay Cigerci provides the first highlight, putting his team in the lead against Hannover 96. It is a goal that once again demonstrates why the now 31-year-old has long since become a fan favourite in Cottbus.
Yet, Cigerci’s path to professional football was by no means straightforward. The Nordenham native won the A-Junior Bundesliga with VfL Wolfsburg’s U19 squad during the 2012/13 season. His career subsequently took him through various stints in the Regionalliga. In 2024, he moved to VSG Altglienicke, followed by the next step in his journey: a move to Cottbus.
He impressed at the club right from the start. In his debut season for Energie, he scored 15 goals and provided six assists. He stepped up his game even further the following season, recording 17 goals and 13 assists—a total of 30 goal contributions. This impressive record made a lasting impression on the fans; following a shortlist selection by captains and coaches, they voted Cigerci the 3. Liga Player of the Season.
His goals played a crucial role in Cottbus’s promotion campaign. Energie remained in the race for a return to the 2. Bundesliga right up to the final matchday, ultimately sealing their promotion with a 1–0 victory in Regensburg.
For Energie Cottbus, Cigerci has long since become more than just an attacking player with a knack for scoring goals. As a playmaker, he frequently seeks out one-on-one situations, creates danger with his dribbling, and steps up to take responsibility in crucial moments. His importance to the team extends well beyond his goals and assists.
The current season is also special from a family perspective. For the first time, Cigerci is sharing the pitch with his brother, Tolga, while playing for Energie Cottbus. Coach Claus-Dieter Wollitz has also been relying on the duo, regularly giving both brothers the chance to play together for the Lusatian club.
For Cottbus fans, Cigerci has long since become a „football god.“ Following the team’s promotion, he extended his contract, ensuring he remained with Energie for their return to the 2. Bundesliga. It is fitting for his story that he was the one to score the opening goal of that long-awaited second-division campaign. For both Cigerci and Energie Cottbus, this marks the completion of a special circle.
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.
After a three-week international break, the Lilien are finally returning to league action. This coming Saturday (Oct. 10th, 1pm), SV 98 hosts Energie Cottbus for their next 2. Bundesliga match. Ahead of the clash, our head coach spoke at the press conference about the recent international break, the squad situation, and the task at hand. Here is a summary of the key points.
SV Darmstadt 98 will in future also offer American football under the Lilien banner. The Darmstadt Diamonds will be integrated into the club, thereby gaining a long-term sporting and organisational future.
On Saturday (November 7th), the Lilien will visit 1. FC Nürnberg at 1pm. General ticket sales begin on Friday, October 9, at 12pm.
The fan and support department is holding its annual meeting, partners are hitting the golf course, the trip to San Antonio has concluded, and—naturally—birthdays are being celebrated at the Böllenfalltor this week as well. There is plenty going on at the Lilien beyond the day-to-day routine of the second division. As always, "Lilien Across the Board" brings you all the latest news and stories from life at SV Darmstadt 98.
The annual department meeting of the SV Darmstadt 98 fan and supporter department took place on Monday evening (October 5th). In addition to providing an overview of the department's activities, the event aimed to offer an opportunity for exchange and active participation.
On Saturday (October 10th), newly promoted FC Energie Cottbus visits the Böllenfalltor. It is a special matchup, as we have never faced the team from Lusatia in our club's history. Nevertheless, there are some fascinating facts and figures to discover surrounding this first-ever meeting.