The defeat against Dynamo Dresden is behind them. Matej Maglica is looking ahead to the next challenge with motivation. Furthermore, this coming Sunday marks the tenth anniversary of Johnny Heimes' death. In our "Lilies Across the Board" section, we provide you with the most important news from SV Darmstadt 98 every week.
The match against Dynamo Dresden is behind everyone at Darmstadt 98, so their focus is now on the future. „A win is the goal in every game,“ says Matej Maglica. Despite Patric Pfeiffer’s suspension, the centre-back expects a solid defence. If the attitude and style of play are right, any opponent can be beaten; that’s precisely his goal and that of the team: „To be there from the start“ to make their mark on the game. The home game against Holstein Kiel could be the starting point for „a new winning streak,“ Maglica adds.
On Sunday, March 8th, it will be exactly ten years since we had to say goodbye to Jonathan „Johnny“ Heimes. The inspiration you were to us then, you still are today. Your courage, fighting spirit, and willpower will forever be connected to us and remain with us. Your motto lives on. We are thinking of you, Johnny!
On Monday, SV 98 presented Maximilian Mehring as the new Sporting Director of their youth academy. Mehring had already been working at the Lilies‘ academy as an interim coach since July 2025. „I’m looking forward to this new challenge and am very grateful to the club for the trust they’ve placed in me. The club from southern Hesse has clear ideas and visions for the next steps in the development of their youth program,“ said the 39-year-old. „For me, it’s a great incentive to be able to play an even more active role in shaping this process in the future.“ You can find all the details here.
Starting Sunday, our second team will also be back in action, as the Kreisliga B resumes play after a long winter break. The Lilies will host SKG Gräfenhausen at 3 pm. Anticipation for league play is high, making it all the more painful for captain Julian Schreiber, who will have to watch from the sidelines due to injury. In general, several injuries plagued SV 98’s winter preparation, which also didn’t go as planned in terms of results. This makes the anticipation for the start of the competitive season in 2026 all the greater, as Schreiber explains: „The important thing is to get the points when it counts.“
As a newly promoted team, the Lilies‘ sole objective remains avoiding relegation, and a victory in Gräfenhausen would secure further crucial points in that endeavour.
The first sports camps organised by SV Darmstadt 98 were a resounding success. Now, children aged 6 to 14 can look forward to the Easter sports camps from April 7th to 10th. Each day will feature a different sport. Participants can discover their own strengths and enjoy a diverse and exciting week of activities together. You can find all the important information and registration details here.
The pairings for the first round of the DFB Cup have been drawn: SV Darmstadt 98 will face FC Carl Zeiss Jena away from home. The draw took place on Saturday evening (June 6th) at the German Football Museum in Dortmund. Under the supervision of DFB Vice President Peter Frymuth, Referee of the Year 2026, Deniz Aytekin, who acted as the draw's host live on ARD, drew the match between Darmstadt and Jena.
From the warm opening ceremony to the awards ceremony: The German Football ID Championship in Darmstadt offered exciting games, many wonderful encounters and a well-deserved German champion in the Hesse selection, which also included players from the SV 98 ID team.
The first dates for SV 98's preparations for the 2026/27 second division season have been set: On June 25th, the professional team will return to the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor to undergo various medical tests and performance diagnostics. The first team training session will take place on June 27th in the Odenwald region.
Who will SV Darmstadt 98 face in the first round of the DFB Cup? This question will be answered this coming Saturday (June 6th). The draw for the first round will be broadcast live on ARD's Sportschau. We'll be taking a look and providing you with all the information. We'll also be celebrating with the fan team's survival in the Kreisklasse B (eighth tier) and taking a look across the border to Texas in the USA. All this and more for you in "Lilies Across the Board" on Wednesday.
Fraser Hornby's time at Darmstadt 98 comes to an end after three years. The Scottish attacking midfielder is moving to VfL Wolfsburg. Both clubs have agreed to keep the transfer fee confidential.
An eight-goal thriller to close out the season. The SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team took to the pitch one last time this season on Saturday (May 30th) – away against FC Eddersheim. The young Lilies secured a 5-3 victory in Eddersheim, finishing the 2025/26 Hessenliga season in eleventh place. Even more remarkable, however, was the U21's run at the end of the season: the Blue and Whites won their last five matches, scoring an impressive 22 goals in the process.
Barcelona, Spain. A global city right on the Mediterranean. Over 1.7 million people live here. And one of them is Clemens Riedel. The 22-year-old former Darmstadt player moved from SV 98 to Espanyol Barcelona last summer – from youth academy to professional in the Spanish first division. We spoke with Riedel about his first year in Barcelona, the past season, and his still close ties to Darmstadt.
SV 98 can continue to rely on the services of Fabian Nürnberger. The Lilies have extended the expiring contract with the Bulgarian international.
Grayson Dettoni will continue to wear the SV 98 jersey. The Lilies have exercised their option to buy the defender, who was previously on loan from FC Bayern Munich.
The German Football Championship for People with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) kicks off on Sunday – and it's taking place in Darmstadt's Bürgerpark! Last week, the Darmstadt 98ers' home ground offered a different kind of sporting event: a karate demonstration. We also take a look at the opponents for the new season and celebrate two birthdays this week. You'll find all this and much more about Darmstadt 98 in our usual "Lilies Across the Board".
„I’m proud of you,“ were the words of U21 coach Sebastian Schmitt to the team after they secured their place in the Hessenliga. On Saturday (May 23rd), SV Darmstadt 98’s U21 team had the chance to stay in the league against Turabdin Babylon Pohlheim – and they seized it impressively! The young Lilies delivered a convincing 5-1 goal fest, but at the same time still needed help from other teams to guarantee their survival. However, because their direct rivals, CSC 03 Kassel, narrowly lost in Stadtallendorf, the U21 team was finally able to celebrate.
For the fourth time, the Haftpflichtkasse insurance company and SV Darmstadt 98 have jointly awarded four clubs with the Volunteer Award. The award ceremony, including the presentation of the checks, took place last Sunday (May 17th) before the home game against SC Paderborn at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. The Volunteer Award, established in 2023 by the Haftpflichtkasse and SV Darmstadt 98, aims to strengthen volunteer engagement and promote outstanding projects.