On October 15, 1911, a new chapter in German football history began in Kiel: the „Holstein-Sportplatz“ opened its doors. Although the Störks lost 4-3 to Preußen Berlin, it marked the birth of a vibrant stadium that remains one of Germany’s oldest.
As early as the 1920s, over 15,000 people regularly flocked to the Holstein-Sportplatz (Holstein Stadium). The 4-1 victory in the 1943 championship quarterfinal against Schalke 04 in front of 18,000 fans remains legendary for Kiel, and is still considered one of the greatest matches in the club’s history. The Storks experienced the all-time attendance record on March 23, 1951: 30,000 spectators witnessed a thrilling 3-3 draw against Hamburger SV in the Oberliga Nord.
Since the 1960s, the stadium has officially been called the Holstein Stadium. A particularly distinctive feature is the main stand, opened in 1950, which, despite modernisation, has largely retained its original form to this day. Adjustments have been made time and again to meet the demands of professional football. Today, the Holstein-Stadion has a capacity of 15,034 spectators. But what about the current team? In our opponent check, we analysed the Storks in more detail.
| Top Scorers | Top Assists |
| Phil Harres – 2 Goals | Alex Bernhardsson- 2 Assists |
| Alexander Bernhardsson – 1 Goal | John Tolkin – 2 Assists |
| John Tolkin – 1 Goal | Phil Harres – 1 Assist |
| Adrián Kaprálik – 1 Goal | Adrián Kaprálik – 1 Assist |
| David Zec – 1 Goal | Jonas Krumrey – 1 Assist |
Marcel Rapp
Head coach at Holstein KielThe Storks impress with their tremendous strength in duels. With 755 duels won, they demonstrate their robustness and unwavering determination. This is the third-best record in the league – only Preußen Münster (847) and 1. FC Nürnberg (795) have won more duels overall. For SVD, this means preparing for intense duels and constant pressure over the entire 90 minutes.
It was a cool Sunday afternoon in Fürth, but things were heating up on the pitch at Sportpark Ronhof: The ball hit the net twice – once it was John Tolkin who made the Storks celebrate. The Holstein Kiel left-back, known for his uncompromising defensive work, suddenly wrote his own goal-scoring history, scoring his first goal in a Holstein jersey. But it wasn’t just his goal that amazed the fans; his subsequent celebration made headlines.
Doing the „Griddy“ dance, a celebration familiar from the NFL, the US international skipped across the pitch and brought smiles to the faces of the fans in the away section. What seemed like a spontaneous idea on the pitch actually originated at the breakfast table: The morning before the game, Tolkin and his teammates had the idea of celebrating after a goal in exactly the same way. No one could have guessed that it would become a viral scene. “If I score more goals, there will be more dancing,” joked Tolkin after the game – leaving it open what kind of celebration might follow next.
As entertaining as his dances are, John Tolkin brings not only a show but also an exciting career story to Kiel. His football roots lie in the New York Red Bulls academy, where he stood out as a talent at an early age. From there, he moved up to the reserve team in 2019. Just two years later, Tolkin made his MLS debut and quickly worked his way into the New Yorkers‘ starting lineup. He made a total of 135 appearances for the East Coast team, scoring nine goals and providing 20 assists.
At the same time, Tolkin also had the opportunity to showcase himself on the international stage. The American participated in the 2019 CONCACAF Championship with the U17 national team, and in 2023 he made his debut for the United States senior national team. His highlight so far: participation in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where he played in every match.
Tolkin’s next move wasn’t long in coming. In January 2025, he moved to Germany, joining Holstein Kiel. With his attacking drive, his courage, and now two goals this season, the left-back has won over fans so far. His celebratory dances are a hit anyway…
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 Bielefeld is Wednesday (September 9th) at 12pm.
SV Darmstadt 98’s U21 team lost 2-1 (0–0) to Türk Gücü Friedberg. Following a narrow but deserved defeat, Patrick Kurt’s squad has the opportunity to pick up points again as early as Wednesday.
As of today, digital coupons are available to all users of our WirLilien app. Lilien members receive additional exclusive discounts, while non-members can also take advantage of initial offers.
The draw for the second round of the DFB-Pokal has taken place: SV Darmstadt 98 will play away at SV Elversberg. This was the result of the draw held at the German Football Museum on Saturday evening (September 5th), featuring "draw master" Bastian Schweinsteiger and broadcast live on ARD's Sportschau.
A solid first half, including a missed penalty and a bitter goal just before the halftime whistle. And a second half that left everyone involved fuming afterward. In the end, a deserved defeat was recorded, and the Darmstadt players were correspondingly self-critical. Here are the reactions to the 3 - 0 loss at 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
Darmstadt 98 will return to southern Hesse empty-handed: 1. FC Kaiserslautern secured a 3-0 (1-0) victory on Saturday afternoon. Sauer (43') scored from close range just before halftime, and in the 64th minute, the Red Devils added another through Tazemeta. Berisha then sealed the win in stoppage time (90+4). Darmstadt 98 remain on just one point after four matchdays this season.
Darmstadt 98 travel to Betzenberg for their fourth matchday away at 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting lineup compared to the Hannover 96 game. Kai Klefisch returns to the starting eleven after serving his suspension, with Nicolas Verkooijen initially taking a place on the bench. Yannik Lührs replaces the suspended Aleksandar Vukotic, while Lars Kehl comes in for Yosuke Furukawa. It will be the first start for both players. William Mikelbrencis is in the squad for the first time, while Manolo Merx is unavailable due to illness.
Up to the Betzenberg! On Saturday (September 5th/1pm), SV 98 will be playing away against FC Kaiserslautern as part of Matchday 4. What do the two head coaches have to say before kickoff? Who will be refereeing the match? And where can you watch the game? As usual, we've compiled all the important information about the match against Kaiserslautern for you in our "Matchday Guide".
Our head coach spoke about the important "four-field" (the area between the stands and the goal) and his belief in the team's development ahead of tomorrow's away game at the Betzenberg stadium. As usual, you can find the most important statements before the match against Kaiserslautern (September 5th, 1pm) here.
Commitment to sports, respectful interaction, and joint efforts for a better Darmstadt. All the values that SV Darmstadt 98 strives to embody, and which the Martinsviertel Boxing Club is also meant to symbolise, came together on Thursday evening (September 3rd). At the Boxing Club's open house, which also marked the launch of a joint project between SV 98, the independent organisation Rope e.V., and the Darmstadt Youth Services, the foundation was laid for a new sports program in the Martinsviertel district.
For 1. FC Kaiserslautern, sporting tragedy and triumph were separated by just seven days in May 1996. On May 18th, after a 1-1 draw at Bayer Leverkusen, the club’s first-ever relegation from the Bundesliga was confirmed. After 33 years of uninterrupted top-flight football, the Red Devils had to make the drop to the second division. But just one week later, the chance for a conciliatory end to the season presented itself at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium. FCK seized it. With a 1-0 victory against Karlsruher SC, Kaiserslautern won the DFB Cup for the second time, after their first title in 1990.
On Saturday (September 5th), Darmstadt will travel to Kaiserslautern for their fourth matchday fixture. Their historical record against Kaiserslautern couldn't be more balanced: five wins, five draws, and five losses. All the other facts and figures surrounding the match can be found here.