The history of Eintracht Frankfurt
Milestones and background from the club's history, in chronological order.
More milestones and background for each event.
Categories
Competitions
Nicknames through the years Three names tell a story of near misses, late goals and an unbeaten season. Read the storiesClose the stories
Championship and the European stage
A founding Bundesliga member
One of the 16 founding members, Eintracht begin their Bundesliga history with a 1–1 draw against Kaiserslautern.
Lothar Schämer scores Frankfurt’s first Bundesliga goal from the penalty spot.
Cup triumphs and a missed championship
Biggest Bundesliga victory
The 9–1 win over Rot-Weiss Essen remains Eintracht’s biggest Bundesliga victory.
Bernd Hölzenbein scores three goals.
Körbel’s 602nd Bundesliga appearance
Karl-Heinz Körbel makes his final Bundesliga appearance in a 1–1 draw at St. Pauli.
All 602 appearances are for Eintracht Frankfurt, a total that remains the Bundesliga record.
The title slips away in Rostock
Eintracht begin the final matchday as leaders but lose 2–1 at F.C. Hansa Rostock.
Stuttgart become champions, while Frankfurt finish third.
Relegation, survival and promotion
First Bundesliga relegation
A 2–2 draw at Fortuna Düsseldorf mathematically confirms Eintracht’s first Bundesliga relegation.
With 32 points Frankfurt can reach only 35, while Köln already have 37 in the lowest safe position. Their eventual 17th place is the club’s worst Bundesliga finish, repeated in 2001 and 2011.
The 5–1 survival miracle
Eintracht Frankfurt5:1
1. FC KaiserslauternMatch 1 · May 29, 1999 · Location: Frankfurt am Main Stadium: WaldstadionEintracht beat Kaiserslautern 5–1 to stay in the Bundesliga as Nürnberg lose 2–1 to Freiburg.
Both clubs finish with 37 points and a goal difference of −10; Frankfurt survive on goals scored. Jan Åge Fjørtoft scores the crucial fifth goal.
Second relegation
VfL Wolfsburg3:0
Eintracht FrankfurtMatch 1 · May 12, 2001 · Location: Wolfsburg Stadium: VfL-Stadion am Elsterweg
Energie Cottbus4:2
Hamburger SVMatch 2 · May 12, 2001 · Location: Cottbus Stadium: Stadion der Freundschaft
VfB Stuttgart1:0
Schalke 04Match 3 · May 12, 2001 · Location: Stuttgart Stadium: Gottlieb-Daimler-StadionA 3–0 defeat in Wolfsburg, together with wins for Cottbus and Stuttgart, confirms relegation.
Eintracht can reach only 35 points, while Cottbus now have 36 and Stuttgart 38. Frankfurt eventually finish 17th.
Relegated despite a home win
Eintracht Frankfurt3:2
VfL BochumMatch 1 · May 15, 2004 · Location: Frankfurt am Main Stadium: Waldstadion
TSV 1860 München1:1
Hertha BSCMatch 2 · May 15, 2004 · Location: Munich Stadium: Olympiastadion MünchenA 3–2 win over Bochum is not enough: Hertha’s 1–1 draw at 1860 München makes survival impossible.
Hertha have 36 points, while Eintracht can reach only 35. Frankfurt eventually finish 16th.
Fourth Bundesliga relegation
A 3–1 defeat at champions Borussia Dortmund confirms a fourth relegation.
Eintracht finish the season 17th with 34 points.
Survival in the play-off
Eintracht Frankfurt1:1
1. FC NürnbergFirst leg · May 19, 2016 · Location: Frankfurt am Main Stadium: Commerzbank-Arena1. FC Nürnberg0:1Eintracht FrankfurtSecond leg · May 23, 2016 · Location: Nuremberg Stadium: Grundig StadionHaris Seferović scores the goal that secures survival in a 1–0 win in Nuremberg.
Following a 1–1 draw in Frankfurt, Eintracht win the play-off 2–1 on aggregate.
European triumph and the present
Champions League qualification through the Bundesliga
A 3–1 win in Freiburg secures third place and Eintracht’s first Champions League qualification through the Bundesliga.
Frankfurt finish with 60 points; their 2022 entry came from winning the Europa League.
60,100 spectators at Deutsche Bank Park
The 2–2 draw with Freiburg fills the arena to its new capacity of 60,100 for the first time following the August expansion.
It is the largest attendance at a match in the rebuilt Deutsche Bank Park.
