"You have to fight!" – These words are inextricably linked to Jonathan Heimes and still stand for courage, unity, and unwavering faith. Johnny's message lives on – in the stadium, in the team, and throughout the entire Darmstadt 98 family. This is also reflected, to some extent, in the mentality of the current Darmstadt professionals. Week after week, SV Darmstadt 98 shows that it never gives up. In our "Lilies Across the Board" section, we provide you with the most important news from the world of SV Darmstadt 98 every week.
15 points after coming from behind – the best record in the league. Darmstadt are the best comeback team in the league, demonstrating true mental fortitude. Just two weeks ago, the team overcame a two-goal deficit against Hertha Berlin, showing tremendous fighting spirit. A similar picture emerged last weekend against Braunschweig. It seems to be almost a specialty of Darmstadt to remain mentally clear and confident despite setbacks.
Kai Klefisch also emphasised this strength in a media briefing on Tuesday (February 17th): „That’s what characterises our team this season. We never give up, even when there are setbacks. For us, it’s clear that we can still achieve anything at any time during the game.“ However, in addition to the setbacks in terms of results during some matches, the team has also recently had to cope with personnel losses. Fraser Hornby and Isac Lidberg, two players with a combined 26 points, were absent in Braunschweig. „Of course, you miss the quality of such players; they are very important guys for us,“ said Klefisch. He added: „But we have internalised what we want and what we stand for. If someone else steps in, we know they will do just as well.“
„YOU MUST FIGHT!“ – These words are far more than just a phrase at SV Darmstadt 98. They stand for unity, courage, and unwavering faith – values inextricably linked to Jonathan Heimes. Johnny wasn’t just a fan of SV 98, but also an inspiration. Despite his serious illness, he gave the team and everyone around the club strength and confidence. His message lives on – on the pitch, in the stands, and deep within the Lilies family. On Thursday (February 19th), Johnny would have celebrated his 36th birthday. We pause to remember this special person and say: You are missed at the Böllenfalltor.
To kick off last weekend, SV Darmstadt 98 fans impressively demonstrated their team spirit at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor – this time not just in the stands, but also on cots, showing solidarity. Last Friday (February 13th), a total of 150 Darmstadt fans visited the Merck Stadium to donate blood. In cooperation with the German Red Cross Blood Donation Service Baden-Württemberg – Hesse, the ENTEGA VIP Lounge was transformed into a place of genuine compassion. The event at the stadium was a resounding success and proved once again that a football stadium can be much more than just a venue for sporting competitions – it can be a meeting place for social engagement.
In the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL), SV Darmstadt 98 had an intense matchday this week, playing three games. The eLilies kicked things off with a commanding 9-2 aggregate victory against Dynamo Dresden. This was followed by a narrow 7-10 defeat against VfL Bochum on the virtual pitch. Finally, the SV 98 eFootballers suffered another loss, falling 7-13 aggregate to Werder Bremen.
This coming Sunday (February 22nd) sees the big offline showdown. The eDerby against Eintracht Frankfurt awaits at 3:15pm. A victory would allow the eLilies to draw level with Eintracht in the standings and make a real statement. Accordingly, the motivation is high not only to win the derby in this direct encounter but also to gain ground in the league table.
The youth teams of SV Darmstadt 98 experienced contrasting outcomes last weekend:
The Lilies‘ U19 team got off to a successful start in the second half of the season. The Blue-Whites took a 1-0 lead after just ten minutes. However, FSV Frankfurt responded immediately, equalising just a minute later. Playing at home, the U19s showed great resilience: In a hard-fought match, the young Lilies scored their second goal in the 36th minute and added another immediately after the break, subsequently making it 4-1 and underlining their strong performance. Frankfurt managed to pull one back, but the final score was 4-2.
This coming weekend, the U19 team travels to Köln, where they will face FC Viktoria Köln on Saturday (February 21st) at 2pm.
The weekend was less successful for SV 98’s U17 team. In their away match against SSV Jahn Regensburg, the Lilies suffered a clear 4-0 defeat. However, the next opportunity is just around the corner: On Wednesday evening (February 18th, 7pm), the Blue-Whites will travel to JSG Flieden/Schweben for a Hessen Cup match, aiming to secure their place in the next round. Additionally, the U17 team will host TSV 1860 Munich on Sunday (February 22nd) in a regular youth league match. Kick-off is at 11am on the grass pitch in Pfungstadt.
Last Monday (February 16th), SV Darmstadt 98 President Markus Pfitzner celebrated his 54th birthday. He has been a Darmstadt 98 supporter since childhood. For decades, he has been closely associated with the sports club, serving for many years as Vice President and, since the 2025 Annual General Meeting, as President of SV Darmstadt 98. Thank you for your many years of dedication and commitment to our club! Dear Markus, we extend our warmest belated birthday wishes!
Luca Marseiler celebrates his 29th birthday on Wednesday, February 18th. The Munich native has worn the Darmstadt 98 jersey since 2024 and has already made 54 appearances for the club. This season, Marseiler has impressed with two goals and four assists in the league and cup competitions. Dear Luca, we congratulate you most sincerely on your birthday and look forward to many more successful moments with you!
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).
