The history of Eintracht Frankfurt
Milestones and background from the club's history, in chronological order.
More milestones and background for each event.
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Competitions
Nicknames through the years Three names tell a story of near misses, late goals and an unbeaten season. Read the storiesClose the stories
Roots, progress and persecution
Victoria and Eintracht’s roots
Frankfurter Fußball-Club Victoria is founded on March 8, 1899.
Eintracht Frankfurt trace their football tradition to this date.
Victoria and Kickers form FFV
Victoria and Frankfurter Kickers merge to form Frankfurter Fußball-Verein.
FFV is a distinct predecessor of the later Eintracht.
The Eintracht name emerges
Frankfurter Fußball-Verein merge with Frankfurter Turngemeinde von 1861 in May.
The combined organisation is named Frankfurter Turn- und Sportgemeinde Eintracht (F.F.V.) von 1861.
The old Riederwald opens
Eintracht draw 1–1 with Freiburger FC at the opening of the Riederwald ground on Ratsweg.
Destroyed in 1943, this was a different ground from the present Riederwald stadium, opened in 1952.
Gymnastics and sport separate
The separation creates Turngemeinde Eintracht and Sportgemeinde Eintracht.
The footballers continue with Sportgemeinde Eintracht (F.F.V.) von 1899.
A 2–0 win over Waldhof Mannheim secures Eintracht’s first Southern German championship.
Two fixtures remain; the regional title takes them into the German championship finals.
First German championship final
Eintracht reach their first German championship final, losing 2–0 to Bayern Munich in Nuremberg.
Earlier that season they won their second Southern German championship.
Nazification and exclusion
Under Nazi rule the club adopts the Führer principle and Jewish officials are forced from office.
Eintracht participate in the exclusion of Jewish members and introduce an antisemitic exclusion clause into their statutes in 1940.
The old Riederwald is destroyed
Air raids destroy the club’s ground on Ratsweg in October.
The football team subsequently have to use other grounds.
Hesse Cup winners
Eintracht beat Rot-Weiss Frankfurt 3–2 in the Greater Hesse Cup final at Bornheimer Hang.
Rudolf Motsch scores twice and Georg Muth once.
Championship and the European stage
First league match at the new Riederwald
One week after the new Riederwald stadium opens, Eintracht beat SpVgg Fürth 4–1 in its first league match.
After years of using other grounds, the club have a home of their own again.
Oberliga Süd champions
Eintracht clinch the Oberliga Süd title with a 4–1 win over Karlsruher SC in their penultimate fixture.
The match is played at the new Riederwald stadium.
German champions
Eintracht beat Kickers Offenbach 5–3 after extra time in Berlin to become German champions for the first time.
Eckehard Feigenspan scores three goals; Frankfurt had also won the Oberliga Süd title.
First European Cup match
Eintracht win their first European Cup match 4–1 away to Young Boys in Bern.
Following Kuopion Palloseura’s withdrawal in the first round, Frankfurt’s European campaign begins in the round of 16 at the old Wankdorf stadium.
First German club in a European Cup final
Following a 6–1 first-leg victory, Eintracht also beat Rangers 6–3 away.
They become the first German club to reach the European Cup final.
The Glasgow final
Eintracht lose 7–3 to Real Madrid at Hampden Park.
In front of more than 127,000 spectators, Erwin Stein scores twice for Frankfurt and Richard Kreß once.
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.
First DFB-Pokal final
Eintracht lose their first DFB-Pokal final 2–0 to TSV 1860 München.
The match takes place at Stuttgart’s Neckarstadion.
International Football Cup winners
Eintracht Frankfurt1:1a.e.t.
Internacionál BratislavaLocation: Frankfurt am Main Stadium: WaldstadionAfter winning 3–2 in Bratislava, Eintracht secure the trophy with a 1–1 draw after extra time in the return final against Internacionál Bratislava.
Wolfgang Solz equalises; this competition is distinct from the later UEFA Intertoto Cup.
Reunion under the present name
Turngemeinde and Sportgemeinde reunite.
The combined club takes the name Eintracht Frankfurt and continues Sportgemeinde’s football tradition.
Cup triumphs and a missed championship
First DFB-Pokal victory
Eintracht beat Hamburg 3–1 after extra time in the final.
Bernd Hölzenbein and Wolfgang Kraus decide the match at Düsseldorf’s Rheinstadion.
Biggest Bundesliga victory
The 9–1 win over Rot-Weiss Essen remains Eintracht’s biggest Bundesliga victory.
Bernd Hölzenbein scores three goals.
DFB-Pokal retained
Eintracht retain the DFB-Pokal with a 1–0 win over MSV Duisburg.
Karl-Heinz Körbel scores the only goal at Niedersachsenstadion.
A 5–1 win reaches the UEFA Cup final
After losing 2–0 in Munich, Eintracht beat Bayern 5–1 after extra time in the second leg.
A 5–3 aggregate victory sends Frankfurt into the final.
UEFA Cup winners
Fred Schaub scores the decisive goal in a 1–0 second-leg win over Borussia Mönchengladbach.
After losing the first leg 3–2, Eintracht win the UEFA Cup on away goals with the aggregate score at 3–3.
Third DFB-Pokal victory
Eintracht beat Kaiserslautern 3–1 in the Stuttgart final.
Willi Neuberger, Ronald Borchers and Cha Bum-kun score for Frankfurt.
Fourth DFB-Pokal victory
Lajos Détári decides the Berlin cup final against VfL Bochum with a free kick.
The 1–0 victory brings Eintracht their fourth DFB-Pokal.
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.
Return to the Bundesliga
A 2–2 draw with Mainz clinches promotion with two matches remaining.
Eintracht’s 60 points are beyond fourth-placed Gütersloh, who can reach a maximum of 59.
Bundesliga 2 champions
A 4–2 win over Fortuna Köln also secures the Bundesliga 2 championship.
Promotion had already been confirmed against Mainz.
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.
Promotion after a 6–3 victory
Eintracht Frankfurt6:3
SSV ReutlingenMatch 1 · May 25, 2003 · Location: Frankfurt am Main Stadium: Waldstadion
Eintracht Braunschweig1:4
Mainz 05Match 2 · May 25, 2003 · Location: Braunschweig Stadium: Eintracht-StadionEintracht beat Reutlingen 6–3 and win promotion ahead of Mainz on goal difference.
Mainz win 4–1 in Braunschweig but finish one goal behind Frankfurt.
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.
Immediate promotion back
A 3–0 win over Wacker Burghausen sends Eintracht straight back to the Bundesliga.
Their 61 points secure third place ahead of 1860 München.
Back in the cup final
Eintracht lose the Berlin DFB-Pokal final 1–0 to Bayern Munich.
It is Frankfurt’s first cup final since 1988.
Fourth Bundesliga relegation
A 3–1 defeat at champions Borussia Dortmund confirms a fourth relegation.
Eintracht finish the season 17th with 34 points.
Promotion in Aachen
A 3–0 win at Alemannia Aachen clinches promotion with two matchdays remaining.
Eintracht have 68 points, while third-placed Düsseldorf can reach only 66.
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
Cup final disappointment
Eintracht lose the Berlin cup final 2–1 to Borussia Dortmund.
They return to the final a year later.
Cup triumph after 30 years
Eintracht beat Bayern Munich 3–1 in the final to win their fifth DFB-Pokal.
Ante Rebić scores twice and Mijat Gaćinović adds the final goal.
Denied a European final on penalties
After two 1–1 draws, Eintracht lose their Europa League semi-final against Chelsea on penalties.
Frankfurt’s European journey ends at Stamford Bridge.
Confronting the Nazi past
Following scholarly research into his Nazi past, Eintracht posthumously revoke Rudolf Gramlich’s honorary presidency.
The decision forms part of the examination of former club leaders’ responsibility.
The night in Barcelona
Eintracht beat Barcelona 3–2 at Camp Nou.
Following a 1–1 draw in the first leg, the win takes Frankfurt into the Europa League semi-finals.
Back in a European final
A 1–0 win over West Ham follows the 2–1 first-leg victory to take Eintracht into the Europa League final.
Rafael Borré scores at Deutsche Bank Park.
Europa League winners
After a 1–1 draw, Eintracht beat Rangers 5–4 on penalties in the final.
Kevin Trapp saves Aaron Ramsey’s attempt and Rafael Borré converts the decisive kick. The title also secures Frankfurt’s first appearance in the modern Champions League.
Champions League debut
Eintracht play their first match in the Champions League format introduced in 1992.
They lose 3–0 at home to Sporting, having previously played in the 1959/60 European Cup.
First Champions League round-of-16 qualification
A 2–1 win at Sporting secures Eintracht’s first Champions League round-of-16 place.
Daichi Kamada and Randal Kolo Muani overturn the deficit; Frankfurt finish second in the group with ten points.
First Champions League round-of-16 match
Eintracht play their first Champions League round-of-16 match against SSC Napoli and lose 2–0 at home.
Frankfurt had secured their place in this round with a 2–1 win at Sporting on November 1, 2022.
Ninth DFB-Pokal final
Eintracht lose their ninth DFB-Pokal final 2–0 to RB Leipzig.
Frankfurt have won five of those nine finals.
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.
