As part of the big season opening in the Merck Stadium, the Lilies also play a friendly against Swift Hesperange. The game on Saturday (July 13th) kicks off at 4pm. We will introduce you to the Luxembourg first division team in more detail. Both teams met in the Merck Stadium in preparation for the 21/22 season, and the Lilies won 1-0.
The club looks back on a long history that dates back to the 1910s. Until the Second World War, Swift played in the third and fourth leagues, with the 1928/29 season being an exception when the team was promoted to the honorary promotion (second league).
In the post-war period, the team went through a development that took them from the fifth division in the mid-1960s to their return to honorary promotion in 1976. Just a few years later, the Red and Whites achieved their first promotion to the National Division, the highest league in Luxembourg. A milestone for Swift Hesperange was qualifying for the European Cup Winners‘ Cup in the 1990/91 season by winning the Coupe de Luxembourg against AS Differdange.
Since the 2020/21 season, Hesperange has been playing continuously in the BGL Ligue, as the top division has been officially called since 2009. As a promoted team, the team finished third in 2021, which qualified them to qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League. There the red and whites lost 0:1 and 1:1 to NK Domžale (Slovenia).
In the 2021/22 season, Swift Hesperange reached fourth place in the BGL League with a total of 60 points in 30 games. The next season the team won its first-ever championship title. “This first title will of course go down in history, it is extraordinary for the people who have been there for many years,” said Swift President Fernand Laroche at the time. At the end of the 2023/24 season, second place in the table was achieved, five points behind FC Differdingen 03.
The current squad includes numerous players who were already used in the 2022/23 championship year. They also include the offensive midfielder and captain Dominik Stolz, who scored 17 goals in 28 appearances in the BGL league in the 2023/24 season. The former SV Sandhausen footballer moved to Swift Hesperingen in 2020 and is one of the team’s most successful goalscorers.
This summer, four new players were signed by Swift: former Austrian youth international Anthony Schmid from SC Austria Lustenau, midfielder Eldin Cikotic from rivals FC Rodingen 91, Kobe Bohets from Jong KV Mechelen and Yanis Bouazzati from their own U19 team.
Last season in the Bundesliga, Anthony scored two goals in 16 games. With FC Lustenau he finished last in the table with two games won. In the 2023/24 season, Eldin Cikotic played 29 games for FC Rodingen. He scored three goals and prepared nine goals. 18-year-old Yanis Bouazzati will have the opportunity to prove himself in the top flight.
Emmanuel Da Costa has been the new head coach at Swift Hesperange since July 1st. The 46-year-old Frenchman can look back on a long-standing coaching career. In 2004 he started at CMS Oissel and has since gained experience in numerous French clubs. In the period from 2004 to 2020 he coached eight different clubs, the longest being the third division club US Quevilly (later also US Quevilly-Rouen Métropole). Most recently he was an assistant coach at AS Saint-Étienne in the second division in France.
A floodlit match at the Rudolf-Haribig-Stadion is always something special. Darmstadt 98 are aiming to take three points back to southern Hesse this Friday evening (February 27th). Kick-off is at 6:30pm. All the important information about the 24th matchday of the 2. Bundesliga is clearly summarised for you in our "Matchday Guide".
Darmstadt 98 aim to extend their unbeaten run to 14 games in Friday evening's match against Dynamo Dresden. While Darmstadt's potent attack has resulted in a respectable goal tally, they are wary at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion. The Saxons have been on an upward trend since the winter break and will have a vociferous home crowd behind them. We've compiled all the facts and figures surrounding this clash in this report. Here you'll find the key facts for tomorrow's match.
Darmstadt and Dresden are 598 kilometres apart. On Friday evening (February 27th, 6:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will travel to the Saxon capital for the 24th matchday of the 2nd Bundesliga. The next away game will take place under the floodlights at the historic Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion. You can find all relevant fan information here.
Before SV Darmstadt 98 plays under floodlights in Dresden on Friday evening (27.02/18.30), Florian Kohfeldt spoke at the press conference about the strengths of Dynamo Dresden and the special atmosphere in the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion.
Raoul Petretta joined SV Darmstadt 98 in the winter and already feels very much at home. He talks about his arrival and his goals. Besides their sporting focus, the Lilies are also committed to sustainability: On March 15, 2026, over 3,500 trees will be planted as part of the fifth "In the Sign of the Lily" tree-planting campaign. In our "Lilies Across the Board" section, we provide you with the most important news from SV Darmstadt 98 every week.
Numerous Dynamo Dresden fans flock to the stadium on home match days. But one day, they came for a single reason: What should their stadium be called in the future? Tens of thousands of supporters gathered in front of the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion, ready to cast their votes. In cooperation with regional partners, Dynamo Dresden's management took the unusual step of letting the club's supporters decide for themselves.
WirLilien – Together for nature conservation! Together with our partner Krombacher, we will once again plant more than 3,500 trees on Sunday (March 15th) – under the banner of the Lily. You can still register for the event at short notice.
On Friday (February 27th, 7:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team begins the second phase of their Hessenliga season. With 23 points after 20 matchdays, the Lilies are currently in 14th place. Following intensive weeks of winter training, the team aims to start the upcoming challenges with renewed energy and secure crucial points.
A fast-paced, thrilling exchange between SV Darmstadt 98 and Fortuna Düsseldorf reached its ecstatic climax in the 88th minute. Thanks to Matej Maglica's header, Darmstadt secured a 2-1 victory in a wild battle that resembled a 12-round boxing match, with both sides neglecting their defences and constantly searching for the next hook or punch. A day later, sv98.de looks back on what was probably the most exciting home game of the season so far for the South Hessian side.
For every home goal scored by the Lilies, SV Darmstadt 98 fans will be doubly rewarded in the 2025/26 season. In addition to the joy and excitement, the Lilies' supporters will also receive 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every home goal scored by Darmstadt at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor.
In an intense 90 minutes between SV Darmstadt 98 and Fortuna Düsseldorf, the Lilies fought back to secure three points shortly before the final whistle. The early lead taken by the team from southern Hesse was quickly erased by the Rhinelanders. The match became increasingly wild and physical. The second half remained evenly contested, but in the end, SV 98 once again demonstrated their fighting spirit: Matej Maglica's late header sealed the three points. What do the players and the two head coaches have to say about this thrilling encounter? We've compiled all the post-match reactions.
SV Darmstadt 98 remain a force to be reckoned with at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor! The Lilies defeated Fortuna Düsseldorf 2-1 (1-1) on matchday 23. It's their sixth consecutive home win, bringing their total to 45 points. Hornby opened the scoring for the home side after just seven minutes, before Maglica (88th minute) netted the decisive goal in the second half.