Sinalco becomes a top partner of SV Darmstadt 98
SV Darmstadt 98 and Sinalco are now joining forces. The beverage brand will become an official top partner of the Lilies and will provide refreshments at home games and club events.
07.08.2026 / English
Opposition Check: Holstein Kiel
A fresh start. The new season is about to begin, and for Holstein Kiel, as well as for Darmstadt 98, it's a new campaign. After a difficult season as a relegated Bundesliga team, the Storks also have to reset. Tim Walter has been back on the Kiel sidelines since the beginning of the year. Now, the first matchday takes the Storks to the Bölle stadium.
After relegation from the Bundesliga back to the second division, Holstein Kiel quickly faced a sobering reality check. Instead of immediately regaining momentum, the Storks‘ season was rather bumpy. At one point, Kiel even found themselves in the lower reaches of the table before Tim Walter’s return to the Kiel Fjord brought some much-needed stability. However, finishing twelfth with just 41 points was unlikely to have been entirely satisfactory.
Therefore, looking ahead to the new season, the Storks initially focused on preseason training and the further development of their squad. A challenging schedule awaited Kiel. They faced two Bundesliga teams, Mainz 05 and TSG Hoffenheim, as well as Swansea City, an ambitious representative of the English Championship. Kiel suffered defeats against both Mainz and Hoffenheim, and in their final preseason match against Europa League participant Sinsheim, they lost 1-3. For Tim Walter, however, the results were not the only measure of success. Rather, the coach’s focus was on further solidifying his ideas and improving the team’s internal processes. „Our attacking play has become more versatile. Furthermore, the routines are now deeply ingrained,“ Walter explained. The development of the group is a particular priority for the Kiel coach. The team has grown closer, works for each other, and has developed into a cohesive unit: „I believe we are a fantastic group, and I feel that every day. No one complains if I schedule an extra training session. They all enjoy being together and invest a tremendous amount of time and effort.“
Friendly Match Results
| Opposition | Result |
| FC Fredericia (H) | 1:3 |
| SönderjyskE (H) | 2:1 |
| Al-Ahli (H) | 4:1 |
| Swansea City (H) | 2:2 |
| 1. FSV Mainz (A) | 3:0 |
| TSG Hoffenheim 1899 (A) |
3:1 |
The squad at a glance
Goalkeepers:
Marcel Engelhardt, Lio Rothenhagen, Ben Schmit, Timon Weiner
Defenders:
Marko Ivezic, Caspar Medlin, Ivan Nekic, Leon Parduzi, Lasse Rosenboom, Frederik Roslyng, Sebastian Schonlau, Hiroki Sekine, John Tolkin, David Zec
Midfielders:
Taisei Abe, Faride Alidou, Guillermo Balzi, Alexander Bernhardsson, Kasper Davidsen, Adrian Kapralik, Andu Yobel Kelati, Jonas Meffert, Hamza Muqaj, Moritz Reimers, Steven Skrzybski, Tayar Tasdelen, Jonas Therkelsen, Ikem Ugoh
Strikers:
Phil Harres, Giorgi Kvilitaia, Marcus Müller
The Coach
Tim Walter
Head coach of Holstein Kiel- Date of Birth (Age): 08/11/1975 (50)
- Birthplace: Bruchsal
- Nationality: Deutsch
- In Charge Since: Februar 2026
- Previous Clubs: Hull City, Hamburger SV, VfB Stuttgart, Holstein Kiel, Bayern München II, Karlsruhe (Juniors)
KSV Trophy Cabinet
- German Champion: 1912
- North German Champions: 1910, 1911, 1912, 1926, 1927, 1930
Organisational information for the Kiel game
On Saturday (August 8th, 1pm), SV 98 asks you to take note of the following information for the upcoming home game. For the start of the season, we will be offering women's entrances at the west entrances. Additionally, there will be a "Bölle Bande" family entrance with easier access at the Karl-Hess-Platz entrance. Furthermore, in addition to the existing regulations, visitors are permitted to bring one non-alcoholic beverage in PET bottles up to 0.5 litres into the stadium for this game.
“Our mentality can be a very great strength.”
Where do Darmstadt 98 stand? What are our head coach's expectations for the visitors? And how satisfied are we with the summer break? Florian Kohfeldt answered questions from journalists at today's press conference ahead of the season opener against Holstein Kiel (August 8th, 1pm). We've summarised Kohfeldt's key statements from the press conference for you.
Facts and Figures: The Top Stats Before the Kiel Game
The ball will finally start rolling again at the Merck Stadium on Saturday. Darmstadt 98 kick off their new second division season with a home game against Holstein Kiel. The Lilies are unbeaten against Kiel in their last seven competitive matches. All the other facts and figures surrounding the season opener can be found here.
RMV CombiTicket: New access point for day tickets and digital WirLilien tickets
The RMV combined ticket remains free of charge with the stadium ticket. However, day tickets and digital WirLilien tickets will now require a separate digital request before each home game. All information about the new procedure can be found here.
Starting Friday: Member presale for Kaiserslautern tickets
On Matchday 4 of the 2026/27 2. Bundesliga season, Darmstadt 98 will be in action in Rhineland-Palatinate. At the Fritz-Walter-Stadion, SV 98 will face 1. FC Kaiserslautern in their second away game of the season. Here's how you can be there: Member pre-sale tickets for this match start this coming Friday (August 7th) at 12 noon – both online and at the ticket office at the Merck-Stadion.
Lilies‘ diverse range: Anticipation for the start of the league
This week, Darmstadt 98's focus is entirely on the start of the new season. However, there was plenty going on around the first team: while numerous children were introduced to various sports at the second recreational sports camp, sporting director Paul Fernie answered questions from the media. All the latest news from SV Darmstadt 98 can be found, as usual, in "Lilies Across the Board".
Stream the full dose of Darmstadt 98!
Stream all Darmstadt 98 matches in the 2nd Bundesliga and the DFB Cup live with Sky Sport on WOW!
SVD vs. Kiel: Win ENTEGA fan seats
Once again this season, our premium partner ENTEGA is creating unique stadium experiences. For every home match, you can win two VIP fan seats in the main stand and also gain access to the ENTEGA VIP Lounge. The application deadline for the match against Kiel is Thursday (August 6th) at 12pm.
Successful start: U21 celebrates emphatic away win in Kassel.
SV Darmstadt 98’s U21 team has made a successful start to the new Lotto Hessenliga season. On Sunday afternoon (August 2nd), the "Young Lilies" secured a 1-5 (0-1) victory away at CSC 03 Kassel. After a controlled first half, the Lilies asserted their dominance in the second period through clinical transition play.
