Under the sign of the Lily: The first half of 2025

SV Darmstadt 98 has been bundling its sustainable and social activities under the name „Im Zeichen der Lilie“ (In the Sign of the Lily) since 2012. This social campaign has long been an integral part of the club’s life. Therefore, SV 98 hosted numerous social and sustainable events in the first half of 2025. An overview.

Garbage and environmental pollution remain key challenges, even in the immediate vicinity of the stadium. To make a statement, SV Darmstadt 98, together with its partner Krombacher, organized the sixth Clean-Up Day in May. Around 90 dedicated Lilien fans took part in the large-scale cleanup campaign around the stadium grounds, the Heimstättensiedlung housing estate, and adjacent areas. Numerous bags of plastic waste, packaging waste, cigarette butts, and other debris were collected. The Darmstadt municipal cleaning service (EAD Darmstadt) subsequently took care of proper disposal. As a thank you, Krombacher invited all helpers to the Lilienschänke restaurant for a meal and to watch second-division football. A special highlight was the visit of the professionals Jean-Paul Boëtius, Sergio Lopez, and Kai Klefisch, who took time out for a personal get-together.

To mark the 2025 federal election, SV Darmstadt 98 took to the pitch against FC Schalke 04 in the last second division season wearing a special jersey. Under the motto „Vote for democracy. Against exclusion and racism,“ which adorned the Lilies‘ chest on matchday 23, the club wanted to call on voters to exercise their democratic rights and participate in the election. Sport thrives on diversity, team spirit, and fair cooperation. The Lilies uphold these values ​​not only in the stadium, but also in society. SV Darmstadt 98 therefore decided to take this action as a visible sign of this commitment.

To strengthen and promote volunteer work, the Volunteer Award was launched in 2023 by SV Darmstadt 98 and the Haftpflichtkasse (liability insurance fund). This year, for the third time, they jointly presented the award and presented the check before the SVD’s second division match against SSV Jahn Regensburg. A jury selected a winner in three different categories: KSC Bensheim e.V. won in the „Education & Knowledge Transfer“ category, SV 1910 Weiterstadt e.V. won in the „Ecology & Sustainability“ category, and Tennisclub Blau-Weiß Heppenheim e.V. won in the „Fair Play“ category. The „Solidarity & Participation“ category was decided by a public vote following a jury selection. Around 4,800 participants took part in the vote, with SC OPEL 06 Rüsselsheim emerging victorious. All award-winning clubs will receive prize money of €3,000 each.

Together with its premium partner „Die Haftpflichtkasse VVaG,“ SV Darmstadt hosted the first „Chancen+“ study and training fair on January 28th in the exclusive premises of the ENTEGA VIP Lounge. Nearly 30 companies informed around 500 students about their training opportunities and degree programs. „Chancen+“ offered participants a perfect opportunity to interact with exhibitors, establish valuable contacts, and obtain first-hand information.

With the project „Learning Place Stadium – Bölle Makes Education,“ SV Darmstadt 98 is creating an extracurricular educational center that combines football enthusiasm with social engagement. Since 2021, the club has been part of a nationwide network that teaches young people democratic values ​​such as tolerance, respect, and team spirit. Interactive workshops on topics such as diversity, violence prevention, and solidarity encourage young people to actively and thoughtfully participate in our society. The project is implemented by the fan project under the auspices of the Internationaler Bund and supported by strong partners.

Since 2015, SV Darmstadt 98 has been working with the fan project and the city of Darmstadt to integrate refugees in the region. The „Integration Kick“ is a weekly football meeting that brings refugees, fans, and club employees together on the pitch. In 2016, this commitment was expanded to include the „Welcome Alliance“ as part of „Welcome to Football.“ The goal was to help refugees join local clubs through sport – and it was a success: many participants are now integral parts of regular teams. Career guidance programs were also created. In 2020, another project, „Fit for the Future,“ was launched that combines sport, social interaction, and career prospects. Refugees and locals meet every Monday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Soccers Treff Darmstadt to play football together. Career guidance workshops, partner discussions, and application training are also offered.

Together with the Darmstadt-based technology company PEAK, SV Darmstadt 98 launched the PEAK 98 social initiative around a decade ago. The goal is to support social clubs and institutions as well as community projects in the area with donations. To this end, donations are diligently collected on every SV 98 home game day. In addition to the contributions from SV Darmstadt 98 and PEAK for a goal scored, for example, fans can also help by purchasing PEAK tickets worth €1 before the game. Thanks to your help, €58,283 has already been raised for this purpose in the current year (2025) alone.

With the „Protecting Children – Supporting Families“ model, the science city of Darmstadt is breaking new ground in preventative child protection. Six social work specialists visit around 1,800 families with newborns each year to provide early support and guidance. Each year, approximately 2,500 of the Lilien gifts are handed out during these visits. Over the past 14 years, more than 20,000 welcome gifts have been presented to newborns and their families. This year’s 98th baby is named „Luca“ and was born on January 21st. He and his family were personally congratulated by SV Darmstadt 98 at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor.

For the third time, the RÖHM Environmental Days will take place on June 24, 2025 in the ENTEGA VIP Lounge at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Together with Röhm GmbH, SV Darmstadt 98 is setting an example for environmental education: At the “Röhm Environmental Days” at Böllenfalltor, schoolchildren from Darmstadt and the surrounding area will experience environmental protection first hand. At interactive stations, participants learn important basics in a playful way: from waste separation to the sensible use of plastics. Exciting experiments make environmental topics tangible, and young people can demonstrate their knowledge in an “environmental rally.” The aim of the project is to promote sustainable thinking and inspire young people to take a conscious approach to our environment.

SV Darmstadt 98 is actively committed to inclusion in sports. In May, SV 98 organised an inclusive training day at its youth performance center, where athletes with and without disabilities trained together under professional guidance, accompanied by youth coaches or former Lilien players. The focus was on having fun playing, learning together, and being together. The event concluded with a shared lunch at the Lilienschänke restaurant, which encouraged interaction and fostered new friendships.

Since 2019, SV Darmstadt 98 has been bringing the integrative educational project „Football Meets Culture“ to the Bernhard Adelung School in Darmstadt. The goal of the project, supported by LitCam and the DFL Foundation, is to sustainably improve the educational opportunities of children in grades 3 to 6 from educationally disadvantaged families. Twice a week, the children are supervised by SV 98 youth coaches, Marcel Carl and Laurin Trageiser, alternating between the soccer field and the classroom. While team spirit and exercise are the focus during kicking, the classroom portion focuses on language development, concentration, and social skills. The project combines sports, learning, and cultural experiences, thus promoting motivation, self-confidence, and perspectives for the participating children. A highlight is the annual final tournament with teams from all over Germany.