A popular Traditionsverein with a historic stadium in one of the biggest cities of Germany. A club with a strong identity which is ideal for a day trip, but also with a longer stay you won't be bored a second. Viva Colonia!
You wouldn't directly say so, but this is almost a 100 years old, the stadium which is known as the Müngersdorfer Stadion in Cologne, named after the district Müngersdorf where the stadium's at. It used to be a stadium with a running track, but before the 2006 World Cup it was completely renovated till the right-squared temple it is now.
Impressive is the stadium for 50.000 fans already from the outside, when you come closer from the side of the Aachener Straße. Walk through the Marathontor, the gate with the letters 'Stadion' at the beginning of the big grass meadow. The buildings behind the Nordtribune were also part of the former stadium and date from 1926. Eye-catchers are the four, luminous pylons which you can see from far away.
It's the most famous building of Cologne and the big pride of the city, the Dom of Cologne in the heart of the city. The two big black towers can be seen from miles away, such that the allied bombers in the Second World War spared the Dom because it was such a good checkpoint for them.
For FC Köln the Dom is as important it is for the rest of the city. The church is dominantly present in the club's crest, and every year there's a special service in the Dom, when the church is full of FC-fans who gather to sing the club's hymne in Cologne's holiest place.
The nickname of FC Köln is Die Geißböcke (the billy goats) and in Cologne they take that very serious, they namely have a living one as the club's mascot. Already in 1950, a local circus donated a billy goat to the club and named it Hennes I, after Hennes Weisweiler, then player and later manager of the club. A tradition was born, and since 2019 Hennes IX is the official mascot of FC Köln. He's at the side of the pitch for every home game and is very popular at the Colognian fans. You can get close to Hennes before the match, in the corner between the West- and Südtribune. On regular days, Hennes is at home in his stable at the Zoo of Cologne, and is he visited a lot by fans of FC Köln.
Another living legend in Cologne - a little less hairy though - is Lukas Podolski, even though born in Poland a real Colognian kid. He played for Köln in two seperate terms, but nowadays Prinz Poldi mainly leaves his mark on the hospitality industry of the city. Situated on Alter Markt 20 is his 'Brauhaus Zum Prinzen', a bar where the typical Colognian culture and his football career come together. On the menu there's a range of local beers and dishes, on the wall there's a lot of pictures and references of Podolski himself.
Besides this, Poldi is also the owner of Mangal Döner, a well regarded chain of kebab restaurants in and around Cologne. A less strange connection than you'd think in the first place, given the history of Podolski playing in Turkey and the large Turkish community in the city.
On match days, you bump into fans in the club's colors all over Cologne, but this place is our favorite. Gaffel am Dom (in the shadow of the church) is Germany at its best, a restaurant that is full with football fans on match days, who enjoy the typical German dished an trademark Colognian glasses of Kölsch beer. Making a reservation in advance is recommended, because there won't be any free tables when Der Effzeh plays at home.
No time to go to the city? Close to the stadium, the corner of the Aachener Straße and the Alte Militärring is on match days full with football fans enjoyed a couple of beers before the match, in a lovely German atmosphere.
It's at the 1. FC Köln not easy to get tickets. With more than 110.000 members it's one of the largest associations of Germany, and so the stadium gets full easily for every match. For most of the 'smaller' matches there will still be some tickets available though, due to season ticket holders who give up their place if they can't come to the stadium. You can buy the tickets on the official website of the club.
The RheinEnergieStadion is at the westside of Cologne and it's easy to get there by car. Take at the A1 motorway exit Bocklemünd or Lövenich and follow the signs with 'Stadion'. Thereafter you will be led to one of the car parks around the stadium.
If you come by public transport, you can take in the city centre (at Neumarkt) tram 1 in the direction of the stadium. From central station Köln Hauptbahnhof you can take the S-Bahn to Weiden-West, where you can transfer to tram 1, from the other direction.
Please note: If you have your match ticket with you, the public transport in the Cologne region is free on match days.
Images: BSR Agency, Coddou, SANTOS
