Football in Berlin

HERTHA BSC

Hertha BSC was founded in 1892 just a few kilometres north of The Circus in the district of Wedding. They moved west in 1962 with the founding of the Bundesliga, to take up residence in the historic Olympic Stadium. Which means a number of things for those of you interested in catching a game. Firstly, even though they are only in the second tier of the Bundesliga, the stadium itself is well worth a visit. And second, with eighty-odd thousand seats there is usually a good chance of getting a ticket…

Getting in: …which leads us to the third important thing you need to know: we have tickets for Hertha! The Circus has a number of tickets for each home match in Bundesliga 2, exclusive for our guests. They cost €20 per ticket but numbers are limited, so please send us an email if you know in advance that there is a match you want to catch. Otherwise come and have a word with us at reception. The size of the stadium means you’ll usually be able to sort something out even if all of our tickets are gone. The online shop for Hertha BSC is here…

1.FC UNION BERLIN

Founded as the merger of two clubs in the district of Köpenick back when it was part of East Berlin in the GDR, 1.FC Union Berlin become something of a cult favourite, known for its passionate fans and grassroots culture, going ever more mainstream in the past couple of years as they managed a meteoric rise into the top tier of the Bundesliga and then into the Champions League. The rise of the men’s team has been mirrored by the women’s team, who have just been promoted to the Bundesliga 2; an important fact for anyone who might want to experience the atmosphere and beautiful setting of Union’s iconic Stadion An der Alten Försterei… 

Getting in: Cult status and recent success means that the 22,000 stadium is sold out for every match of 1.FC Union’s men’s team, and getting tickets can be quite difficult. For the 2024/25 season, the women’s team are playing all their home games in the stadium, which makes it a fine alternative to both experience the stadium and the Union atmosphere, while also supporting the growth of women’s football at the same time. For information on tickets, check out the club website.

DOWN THE DIVISIONS

If you fancy a spot of lower league football and some new grounds to add to your collection, in Berlin you are spoiled for choice. The fourth tier of German men’s football is known as the Regionalliga, and in the Nordost (North East) division there are a number of Berlin-based clubs you might want to check out. Hertha Zehlendorf play in a leafy stadium down in the south-west of the city – if the weather is good you can combine a match with a swim in the lake – while BFC Dynamo have had a somewhat troubled history since they broke all records in the East German league and hosted clubs like Liverpool in European competition.

One league below that, in the Oberliga, you can catch a game in the shadow of the old Stasi (East German secret police) headquarters at Lichtenberg 47 or join the friendly folks at the historic Mommsenstadion for a match of the cult club Tennis Borussia. Google is your friend for upcoming matches, or check out the Kicker website – the important word you need once you’ve found the right league (Bundesliga, Regionalliga etc) is Spielplan, meaning Fixtures.

THE POWERHOUSE FROM POTSDAM

Yes, we mentioned upfront that Berlin’s clubs have not exactly been successful when it comes to bringing trophies to the capital, especially in the thirty-odd years since reunification. But just across the city boundaries in the Babelsberg district of Potsdam, there is a club that has graced club football at the highest level.

1.FFC Turbine Potsdam are one of Germany’s most successful women’s teams, having won six Bundesliga titles and two Champions League trophies. Recent years have been a bit tough, as the top clubs from men’s football have moved to invest in the women’s game. But 1.FFC Turbine Potsdam bounced back from relegation a year ago to land back in the top table of women’s football and start their season 2024/25 with a home match against none other than Bayern Munich. Fixtures and tickets here.

ON THE TELLY

If you are with us in Berlin and don’t want to miss the action of your favourite team, or would like to catch a Bundesliga or Champions League match with some local football fans, there are a number of good options not far from the Circus. FC Magnet Bar is just a few hundred metres away, on the other side of Weinbergspark, and show numerous games across a weekend, from the Bundesliga to the Premier League, and midweek European matches.

On the edge of Mauerpark, close to where the flea market is held on a Sunday, you’ll find Tante Käthe – a bar named for the nickname given to legendary German striker Rudi Völler. This is the “home” bar for Berlin-based fans of SC Freiburg, Armenia Bielefeld, AS Roma and Liverpool FC. Finally, if you know your football history, you’ll know what (or better, who) the Panenka pub in Lichtenberg is named for. Their slogan, translated into English, is “a bar for all who have football and punk in their hearts…”