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World Cup Year! Soccer is King!
Although Germans, like most people in the world, definitely concentrate more on Fußball (soccer), there are many other sports they like to watch and play.
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Berlin’s Olympic Stadium was the site of the 1936 Olympic Games. More recently, the Olympiastadion was the venue for the final match and other games during the 2006 World Cup held in Germany. PHOTO © Hyde Flippo |
Over the years, some American games have become very popular in Germany. Basketball has a reasonably large number of fans. Ice hockey and volleyball are also quite popular.
Although the Germans know about baseball and American football, neither of these New World sports is very popular or widespread in Germany or Europe. Although an annual American football exhibition game in Berlin was a longtime tradition, German youngsters still grow up playing Fußball, not American football. First established in 1991 (as the World League of American Football), the NFL Europe finally closed down its five German football teams (and one in the Netherlands) in June 2007.
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The undisputed champion of German amateur and professional sports is definitely soccer, “König Fußball” (“king football”). Thousands of amateur Fußballvereine (soccer clubs) provide the opportunity for Germans to play soccer. As a spectator sport, soccer draws an average of over 25,000 fans to each professional game. Germany has won the soccer world championship, the World Cup, three times (in 1954, 1974, 1990). Germany hosted the 2006 World Cup, but came in third that year, after France and the winner Italy.
The German Olympic Sports Federation, as the old DSB has been known since 2006 (Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund, DOSB), has 16 state federations and numerous associated sports groups. Based in Frankfurt, the DOSB represents 89,000 clubs and about 27 million members (one out of three Germans!). The DOSB is the biggest indicator of just how sports-minded the Germans are. Another is the profusion of sports facilities all over Germany – playing fields, gymnasiums, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and even olympic training facilities. The many sports clubs all across Germany offer opportunities to play soccer, handball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and other sports.
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The 1.FFC Turbine Potsdam women’s soccer team is one of Germany’s best. The ceremonies seen here encouraged young and upcoming players. PHOTO © Hyde Flippo |
The World Cup
With three World Cup titles, Germany has been longing for a fourth World Cup victory for 20 years now. Disappointed in 2006 on their home territory, the Germans are now pinning their hopes on South Africa, where this year’s Fußball-Weltmeisterschaft (WM) will take place. Unfortunately, the German team has a few problems – concerning the head coach Joachim Löw and some players – as they prepare to go to South Africa. But Löw and his players are confident they will put on a good show. The question is: Will 2010 be Germany’s year?
Other Sports
Tennis, Golf, Formula One
See Part 2 for other sports in the German-speaking world…
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NEXT > Trains (from the book)
MORE > Germany Country Information
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Sports Web Links
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FUSSBALL and OTHER SPORTS
- Bundesliga - Germany's national soccer league (in German)
- Formula 1 - The official Formula 1 racing site (in English)
- Sport 1.de - German sports site (in German)
- Sport1.at - Austria (in German)
- Sport.de - Sport von RTL (in German)
- NBA - Germany - Basketball in Germany (in German). Also see NBA - Global
- FIFA is the international football (soccer) association. Get the latest info about world soccer.
NEXT > Tennis and other sports in Germany
NEXT > (from the book) Trains
MORE > Germany Country Information
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