Preparation time is also test match time. After the Lilies have already played three test matches against amateur clubs from the area, head coach Torsten Lieberknecht’s team will meet the regional league team FSV Frankfurt on Wednesday (10/7 at 7pm), the game will be played in the PSD Bank Arena in Frankfurt-Bornheim. We took a closer look at the 98ers‘ test match opponents for you.
99 years ago, FSV Frankfurt almost became German champions, only in the championship final did the Bornheimers lose 1-0 to 1. FC Nürnberg after extra time. 40,000 spectators watched the final in Frankfurt’s Waldstadion. Eight years later, in 1933, the FSV was crowned South German champions again. But it was never enough for the big hit; in 1938, the Frankfurt team lost 3-1 in the cup final against Rapid Vienna.
Even after the Second World War, the Bornheimers played in the first division, and it was not until 1962 that they were relegated to the second division. In the next 35 years, the Frankfurt team always played in the second or third league. The big bang followed in 1996: relegation to the fourth-class Oberliga Hessen, and the club was also on the verge of bankruptcy. Although this could be averted, sporting success still failed to materialise.
After several failed attempts, they were promoted to the 3rd league (then regional league) in 2007, and the following summer they managed to move straight through to the 2nd Bundesliga – even though qualifying for the newly founded 3rd league was already considered difficult. After a few years in the second league, the Frankfurt team had to go back to the third league in 2016, and just a year later they even went to the regional league.
Since 2017, the fans on the Bornheimer Hang have been seeing regional league football again, and the FSV has had to be careful twice since then that it doesn’t go down another level. The 2022/23 season, on the other hand, was the best sporting season in recent years, with the team finishing fifth in the table and last season the Bornheimers were ninth.
The past season could hardly have been more spectacular; Schott Mainz was welcomed to the Bornheimer Hang on the first match day. After a 0-2 deficit, the guests from Rhineland-Palatinate made it 1-3 in the 90th minute, and their hope of at least one point at the start sank. But what happened next bordered on a sporting miracle. Frankfurt scored in the second, seventh and ninth minutes of stoppage time and turned the game around to a 4-3 opening win. Five days later, FSV only lost on penalties to Hansa Rostock in the first round of the DFB Cup. In the end, they finished in a single-digit place in the table, but the Bornheimers missed out on winning the Hessen Cup and the associated re-entry into the DFB Cup.
At the end of June, the regional league team announced the early extension of the contract with their head coach Tim Görner. The 28-year-old, who has been working in various roles in both the junior and men’s divisions since 2016, took over the position of head coach in March 2022. At that time, FSV was still in a relegation zone. „Under Tim’s leadership, our team has developed steadily in recent years. The daily hard work of the coaching and functional team as well as their commitment on and off the pitch have convinced us to continue on this path together,“ said managing director Robert Lempka about the extension.
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.
