The Darmstadt model “Protect Children – Support Families” is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. In keeping with this, following the birth of the 98th Darmstadt baby this year, there was a tribute to the young family: Baby Elisabeth with her parents Daniel and Melanie together with SV Darmstadt 98. More than 20,000 welcome gifts from the club, for example small blue and white soft balls with a Lily motif have been presented to families in the 15 years since the specialist service began. This summer, Lily professional Christoph Zimmermann presented the welcome gift for baby Elisabeth.
The family previously received a video greeting from SV98 player Clemens Riedel, who congratulated them on the birth. The sports club also invited the family to the Merck Stadium at the Böllenfalltor. They received a private tour, an honuor and a gift presented by Christoph Zimmermann. This ceremony was accompanied by Mayor Barbara Akdeniz, Nadia Alwan-Häfner, the head of the municipal social service department in the youth welfare office of the science city of Darmstadt, and Leonie Bothe, the specialist service employee.
Every year, around 1,600 families are visited in the “Protect Children – Support Families” model. The specialist service supports families in a low-threshold, unbureaucratic and preventive manner in the period after the birth. The specialists in the Darmstadt model inform, advise and support young families with challenges in the newborn’s first year of life. The positive contact should make the changed life situation easier for the parents and strengthen the parent-child bond; You will continue to receive information about advice and support options for families within the city area. The Darmstadt model represents an important part of the work within the Youth Welfare Office of the Science City of Darmstadt in the context of support for families.
“I am very happy that with this low-threshold offer we can reach all families with children and provide unbureaucratic support,” says Mayor Akdeniz. “It is important to us to stand by the families as they start their new life and family situation. We are also pleased that this creates positive contacts with the youth welfare office of the science city of Darmstadt.”
Attention Lilien fans: During SV Darmstadt 98’s training camp in Bad Wörishofen (Allgäu region)—taking place from July 19th to July 26th, 2026—there will once again be an opportunity to meet the team, chat with the players, and, of course, get autographs and photos. The fan meet-up is scheduled for Saturday, July 25th, following the friendly match against SG Sonnenhof Großaspach. Kick-off for the match is at 12pm.
SV 98 remains active in the transfer market. The "Lilies" have signed Christopher Lannert from Arminia Bielefeld.
Friendly matches, fundraising campaigns, and plenty of photos—that’s what the week looked like for SV 98 and the club’s community. Between their 5–1 victory over FC Homburg and the upcoming friendly in Walldorf this Friday (July 17), the „Lilies“ showed their best side for the cameras. In addition, the SV 98 legends team will face an Odenwald select squad on Sunday (July 19th). You can also win great prizes in competitions taking place in Erbach and at the pop-up store in downtown Darmstadt. Lilies Across the Board brings you all the latest news from life at SV 98.
The Bundesliga finalised the match schedules for matchdays three through six on Wednesday (July 15th): Darmstadt's home game against Hannover 96 on matchday three will take place on Sunday. This will be followed by their away game against 1. FC Kaiserslautern on Saturday at 1pm. The home game against Arminia Bielefeld on Friday evening and the away game in Wolfsburg, also on Friday evening, have also been confirmed.
The Lilies can welcome another new arrival at the Böllenfalltor: Florian Kleinhansl will now wear the SV 98 jersey. The 25-year-old joins on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract with 1. FC Kaiserslautern on June 30th.
Third test, third clear victory. SV 98 won the match against FC 08 Homburg 5-1 (3-0).
SV Darmstadt 98 and the fusion energy company Focused Energy are entering into an official partnership. The aim of the collaboration is to more closely link top-level football and high technology from the Darmstadt region and to jointly generate momentum for innovation and future societal issues.
Killian Corredor will be playing in his home country again in the future. SV 98 has reached an agreement with FC Nantes on the transfer of the Frenchman.
On Tuesday (July 14, 6pm), SV Darmstadt 98 hosts Regionalliga side FC Homburg and asks fans to take note of the following information.
A home game against KSV! SV Darmstadt 98 hosts Holstein Kiel for the opening matchday of the 2. Bundesliga season this Saturday (August 8 at 1pm). Here’s how you can be there: the member pre-sale for the new season's first home game begins this coming Wednesday (July 15) at 12pm —available online and at the ticket shop at the Merck-Stadion, as usual. You can find all further details in this announcement.
For every home goal scored by the "Lilies," SV Darmstadt 98 fans were doubly rewarded during the recent 2025/26 second-division season. Beyond the joy and excitement, supporters received 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every goal Darmstadt scored at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
In recent days, various media outlets have published reports and graphics regarding the distribution of TV revenue for the 2026/27 season. Some of these reports included not only specific figures but also a comparison to the previous season. This comparison indicates a supposed revenue increase of €1.4 million for SV 98 compared to the 2025/26 season.