Gearing up for the new season: how BVB’s opener went | OneFootball

Autograph session with the BVB women

The first highlight of the day awaited at Stadion Rote Erde: before kick-off in the women’s match against AS Roma, players Manuela Zinsberger, Dana Marquardt, Emilia Pauls and Mia Scholle, along with mascot EMMA, signed autographs and posed for selfies. Even before the autograph session began, a long line had formed on the stadium track and quickly grew all the way up into the stands. Due to the huge interest, the players went into extra time to make sure every autograph request was fulfilled.

Visit from Mats Hummels

BVB legend Mats Hummels took the meeting of two of his former clubs as an opportunity to visit Strobelallee. “I’m happy to be back in Dortmund. It feels like coming home,” he said during the break in the women’s match. Hummels had already been there for the BVB women’s debut in 2021 and has followed the team’s journey ever since, as he revealed in the halftime interview. He then missed the start of the second half: while making his way through the fans in the stands, he kept stopping for autographs and selfies. The BVB legend was also in demand during halftime of the professional match: first at Nobby Dickel’s microphone (“A great atmosphere in the stadium!”), then in a target-shooting challenge with his son Ludwig against two BVB fans.

Introduction of BVB’s departments and teams

Alongside the squads of the professional team and the BVB women, other Borussia Dortmund departments and teams were also introduced, including handball, table tennis, integration sports, gaming, referees, as well as the fan and support department.

Performance by Blumengarten

The music duo Blumengarten paid a visit to SIGNAL IDUNA PARK between the squad presentation and kick-off, providing the musical backdrop to the season-opening event. “I’ve been a BVB fan all my life, so this is something special for me,” said singer Rayan. “Gut genug,” the summer hit of the year, of course could not be left out of the performance.

Honouring the winners of the Premier League International Cup

In May 2026, a BVB youth team made up of U19 and U23 players won the Premier League International Cup. The competition, held in England for U21 teams, sees English youth sides and top international clubs face off every year. In the final, the Borussians beat Real Madrid’s youth team 1-0. The team was honoured for winning the title to great applause.

Honouring the heroes of 1966

In May 1966, Borussia Dortmund made history: at Hampden Park in Glasgow, BVB defeated overwhelming favourites Liverpool FC 2-1 to win the European Cup Winners’ Cup – becoming the first German club ever to win a European title. A few months ago marked the 60th anniversary of that triumph. To mark the occasion, the “heroes of 1966” were honoured. Siggi Held from that team stood on the pitch and was greeted with great applause. Wolfgang Paul, the team’s leader and captain, had died at the end of June 2026 at the age of 86. The subsequent rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” was dedicated to him – honorary member, recipient of the club’s golden badge, the club’s first honorary captain and long-serving chairman of the council of elders – as well as to the heroes of 1966. (cr)

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.