Comprehensive reform in the youth sector: At the start of the 2024/25 season, SV Darmstadt 98 plans to compete in the Hessenliga with its own team. A corresponding permit was applied for from the Hessian Football Association (HFV). The SV 98 is confident that this application will be approved, similar to that of Eintracht Frankfurt two years ago.
The aim is to give youth players even earlier playing time in the men’s area and thus make the transition to the professionals easier. The team will consist of the most talented players from the U17 and U19 divisions as well as transition players who were trained in the Lilien’s youth performance center (NLZ).
On the initiative of head coach Torsten Lieberknecht and under the leadership of Björn Kopper (NLZ director), Björn Müller (NLZ sporting director) and the transition coordinator Pascal Pellowski, a concept for structural adjustments to the NLZ performance area was developed over the past few weeks. This further development of the existing concept for the transition area includes a comprehensive restructuring of the team structure in the NLZ. Instead of competing with a U16, a U17 and a U19 as before, in the future there will be a U17, a U19 and the above-mentioned top talent team. The U16 will no longer be there; the players from the U15 will instead be integrated directly into the U17 in the future. From summer onwards, like the U19s, they will compete in the youth league organized by the German Football Association. The most talented players from both U teams will train with the top talent team in the future and get playing time in the Hessenliga. With this innovation, the Lilies‘ talents should, on the one hand, be used as early as possible in the strongest junior leagues and, on the other hand, be given the opportunity earlier to get playing time in the senior sector with the top talent team.
Torsten Lieberknecht: „I expressly welcome the fact that the club has developed a viable concept that I have never seen before in German professional football. With this unique Darmstadt approach, we are convinced that we can provide a goal-oriented transition for talented youth players “I would be happy if we could enable even more young players to make the leap into the professional team in the future and also be competitive in talent scouting.”
Uwe Kuhl, appointed presidential representative for the youth training center: „We have dealt intensively with this and given a lot of thought to how we can individually promote our top talents even faster, better and in larger numbers. With the structural adjustment in the NLZ area, we are offering the players now the opportunity to gain a foothold among the seniors at an early stage.“
It is not yet clear where a future top talent team would train and play its competitive games. Initial discussions with potential clubs have already been held.
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.
SV Darmstadt 98 successfully completed their second pre-season friendly, defeating Verbandsliga side VfR Fehlheim 8-0 (4-0).
