Blue and white flags, homemade sashes, and boundless passion for their club: 1. FC Magdeburg's fans support their team with great enthusiasm. In the late 1970s, the first supporters formed fan clubs and actively participated in club life. On Saturday (October 31st), SV Darmstadt 98 will host Magdeburg at 1 p.m. A perfect opportunity to take a look at the development and unique aspects of Magdeburg's fan culture.
What is now an integral part of Magdeburg’s fan culture began in the late 1970s. FCM supporters formed their own groups to support their club together. With homemade sashes and fan club flags, some of which can still be seen today, they expressed their loyalty to the club.
As the number of fan clubs grew, the state took notice. In East Germany, fan clubs could then officially register. To encourage registration, various incentives were offered, such as being featured in match programs or receiving support in organising their own tournaments. However, since registration was also intended to facilitate greater state control, many active fan clubs deliberately refused and boycotted the process. Therefore, it is now almost impossible to determine how many fan clubs actually existed back then.
After the team’s decline in 2006, only 20 fan clubs remained registered with the club. Through closer cooperation between FCM and its supporters, the organised fan scene grew steadily again in the following years. Ultimately, 1. FC Magdeburg boasted 233 officially registered fan clubs. In addition to the history and current size of the Magdeburg fan scene, we also took a closer look at FCM as Darmstadt’s upcoming opponent.
The season so far in the 2. Bundesliga has been very promising for 1. FC Magdeburg. After nine matchdays, Magdeburg were in fifth place in the table with 16 points.
| Opposition | Result | Points |
| Karlsruher SC (H) | 6:1 | 3 |
| Dynamo Dresden (A) | 2:0 | 0 |
| Hannover 96 (H) | 3:0 | 3 |
| SpVgg Greuther Fürth (A) | 1:1 | 1 |
| 1. FC Kaiserslautern (H) | 3:0 | 0 |
| Top Scorers | Top Assists |
| Mateusz Zukowski – 8 Goals | Baris Atik – 7 Assists |
| Emmanuel Iyoha – 6 Goals | Luka Hyryläinen – 2 Assists |
| Alexander Nollenberger – 3 Goals | Tobias Müller – 2 Assists |
| Falko Michel – 3 Goals | Thorben Müsel – 2 Assists |
| Anselmo Garcia MacNulty – 1 Goal | Felipe Chavez – 2 Assists |
Petrik Sander
Head coach of 1. FC Magdeburg1. FC Magdeburg has impressed this season with its efficient attacking play. With 20 goals after nine matchdays, FCM is among the most prolific teams in the 2. Bundesliga. On average, one in seven of their shots on goal finds the back of the net.
Magdeburg’s particularly strong counter-attacking game is a key strength. After winning possession, the team transitions to attack with lightning speed and consistently exploits the resulting space. With four goals from eleven counter-attacks, Magdeburg boasts the most dangerous counter-attacking team in the league. Through quick counter-attacks, direct passing, and clinical finishing, the team from Magdeburg repeatedly creates danger in front of the opposing goal.
From full-back to goalscorer: Mateusz Żukowski has already taken a few detours in his still young career. Today, the 24-year-old Pole is one of the most dangerous attackers in the 2. Bundesliga. But behind his sporting rise lies a turbulent life story, in which his mother played a crucial role.
Żukowski took his first steps in football at Pogoń Lębork. His path led him through the youth ranks of Lechia Gdańsk and a stint at Chojniczanka to Polish professional football. His childhood, however, was anything but carefree: financial worries and domestic violence marked this time. Nevertheless, his mother always stood by him and, with great dedication, enabled him to pursue his dream of playing football. Even when money was tight, she always found a way to cover the costs of football boots or training camps. For Żukowski, this gave rise to a clear goal: one day he wanted to give something back to his mother and give her a better life.
In January 2022, the Pole took the plunge and moved abroad, joining Glasgow Rangers. However, he didn’t achieve the breakthrough he had hoped for in Scotland. His subsequent loan spell at Lech Poznań also failed to establish him permanently. After a stint at Śląsk Wrocław, he finally joined 1. FC Magdeburg in September 2025, where his career took a remarkable turn. The natural full-back transformed into a prolific striker, impressing with his speed, drive, and clinical finishing. Despite some injury setbacks, he scored a total of 17 goals in the 2025/26 season, making him one of the top scorers in the 2. Bundesliga.
The club underlined their long-term commitment to him in July 2026 with a contract extension until 2029. Within a short time, Żukowski has become a key player for Magdeburg.
After advancing in the DFB Cup, SV 98's focus shifts back to league play. Tomorrow, Saturday (October 31st, 1pm), the Lilies host 1. FC Magdeburg at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Ahead of the match, our head coach spoke about the team's sporting approach, the opponent's strengths, and the importance of passion, fighting spirit, and consistency throughout the entire season.
On the occasion of Matchday 10, Darmstadt 98 host 1. FC Magdeburg at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor. While Darmstadt 98 are known for collecting points in front of their home crowd, the visitors impress with their attacking prowess and dangerous counter-attacks. Find out which statistics are particularly interesting ahead of the match and what distinguishes both teams in our Facts & Figures section.
Our premium partner ENTEGA is once again providing unique stadium experiences this season. For every home game, 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 1. FC Magdeburg is Thursday (October 29th) at 6pm.
On Saturday (31.10.2026/1pm), SV 98 asks you to take note of the following information for the upcoming home game.
The main and jersey partnership between SV Darmstadt 98 and HAIX will end as contractually agreed on June 30th, 2027 and will not be continued beyond that date.
Florian Kleinhansl couldn't help but chuckle when asked about the statistics from the previous cup match after the game. "For us, only one statistic mattered today. And we won that one," said the 26-year-old after SV 98's surprising 2-0 victory against the eighth-placed Bundesliga team. It was a coup that demanded a lot from the Lilies. The hosts recorded 18 corners, 26 shots on goal, and 74 percent possession. And yet, in the end, an away win for the team from southern Hesse was displayed on the scoreboard in Saarland.
Fight, dedication, efficiency, an outstanding Marcel Schuhen, and also the necessary dose of luck. These were the ingredients for Darmstadt's cup upset against SV Elversberg. The players were overjoyed afterward, having fought their way to the next round against the favoured Bundesliga side.
With tremendous dedication, Darmstadt secured their place in the next round! The Lilies rewarded themselves for a tremendous fight and incredible defensive work by advancing to the round of 16. The final score was 2-0 (1-0) against SV Elversberg after 90 intense minutes in which the South Hessians suffered but fought tooth and nail against Elversberg's relentless onslaught. Kehl and Smit sealed the victory for Darmstadt's efficient performance.
In the second round of the DFB Cup, Darmstadt 98 will travel to face SV Elversberg. Florian Kohfeldt has made five changes to his starting lineup. Christopher Lannert, Florian Kleinhansl, Nicolas Verkooijen, Lance Duijvestijn, and Hojae Lee will start in place of William Mikelbrencis, Noah Weißhaupt, Hiroki Akiyama, Marco Richter, and Fynn Lakenmacher. Richter is unavailable due to a minor thigh injury.
On Tuesday evening, SV 98 will travel to SV Elversberg for the second round of the DFB Cup. What do the two head coaches have to say before kickoff? Who will referee the match, and where can you watch the cup tie live? As usual, we've compiled all the important information about the game against the Saarlanders in our "Matchday Guidet" format.
DFB Cup, Round Two: On Tuesday evening (October 27th), SV Darmstadt 98 will face SV Elversberg. The hosts have come a long way in just a few years. Where regional league football was once played at the Kaiserlinde stadium, Bundesliga football is now the norm. Elversberg achieved their rise through the leagues in record time. Now, the DFB Cup awaits, providing the next stage where they are eager to prove themselves.
The second round of the DFB Cup is upon us! On Tuesday (October 27th), SV Darmstadt 98 will visit SV Elversberg. Find out what the two teams have in common, how they differ, and which statistics are particularly interesting before the cup match in our facts and figures.