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.
On Tuesday evening (October 13th), the SilberLilien took part in SV Darmstadt 98’s Stolperstein tour for the first time. Along the approximately six-kilometre route, the participants made several stops to learn more about the fates of Jewish club members who were persecuted and driven out during the Holocaust.
From new grassroots sports offerings and a look back at the club's history to birthdays and the latest updates from the media briefing—there is plenty to report from SV Darmstadt 98 again this week. In "Lilien Across the Board," we round up the news, insights, and stories from life at the club.
Tickets for the home match against 1. FC Heidenheim on November 22nd are available for purchase now.
SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team proved their mettle at home against KSV Hessen Kassel II in the Hessenliga on Sunday (Oct. 11th). After a convincing 90-minute performance, the Young Lilies secured another three points, finishing with a decisive 4–0 victory that lifts them to sixth place in the standings.
The Lilies overturned an early deficit to celebrate a 3–1 home victory against Energie Cottbus—a win that boosts confidence and confirms the progress being made. Read our analysis to find out why there is still work to be done and what positives SV 98 takes away from the match.
This season, too, Lilien fans will be doubly rewarded for every home goal scored by SV Darmstadt 98. In addition to the joy and excitement of the goals, the team's supporters will receive 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every home goal scored by Darmstadt at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
After the international break, Darmstadt 98 returned to the Bölle with a home win! Against Energie Cottbus, SV Darmstadt 98 put on a spirited performance in front of their home crowd and rewarded themselves with three points after an intense match. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you here:
Despite falling behind, Darmstadt secured their second consecutive home win! Darmstadt defeated Energie Cottbus 3-1 (1-1). The home side equalised after conceding an early goal in the four-minute period through Weißhaupt before halftime. Vukotic headed his team into the lead in the second half, before Lührs sealed the victory with the third goal. This home win brings Darmstadt's season total to seven points.
Homegame at Böllenfalltor (10/10, 1pm): Florian Kohfeldt has made two changes to his starting XI compared to the away match in Wolfsburg three weeks ago. Richter and Mikelbrencis come into the starting lineup for Sickinger (calf issues) and Lannert (illness).
On Saturday afternoon (October 10th, 1pm), SV 98 hosts Energie Cottbus at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor for Matchday 7. What do the two head coaches have to say ahead of kick-off? Who is officiating the match, and where can you follow the action live? As always, we have compiled all the key information regarding the game against Cottbus in our "Matchday Guide" feature.
Tickets for the league match in Nürnberg (Nov. 7th) and the cup match in Elversberg (Oct. 27th) are available for purchase now.
For the upcoming home match on Saturday (October 10th, 2026, at 1pm), SV 98 asks you to take note of the following information. Since the start of the season, we have been offering dedicated entrances for women at the west side of the stadium. Additionally, there is a "Bölle Bande" family entrance with easier access at the Karl-Hess-Platz entrance. Please also take note of the information provided by HEAG regarding the autumn break.