The history of Energie Cottbus
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
The BSG and the DDR-Oberliga
The predecessor SC Cottbus
The football section of SC Cottbus is the immediate predecessor of BSG Energie.
The present club statutes give July 1, 1963 as its foundation date.
Energie is born
BSG Energie Cottbus is established from the football section of SC Cottbus on January 31, 1966.
This date marks the beginning of the official Energie club tradition, with red and white becoming its defining colours.
First promotion to the DDR-Oberliga
A 1–1 draw against Vorwärts Stralsund secures Energie their first promotion to the DDR-Oberliga.
After losing 7–0 at Riesa a week earlier, a draw against their remaining challenger is enough.
A third promotion to the Oberliga
A 1–0 win over Chemie Buna Schkopau clinches Energie’s third promotion to the Oberliga.
Ten points in the promotion round are sufficient before their final match because Union Berlin have completed their fixtures on eight.
Four goals seal promotion
Energie beat Post Neubrandenburg 4–0 on the final day and return to the Oberliga.
BFC Dynamo’s reserves win the division but are ineligible for promotion, leaving Cottbus as the highest-placed eligible team.
Division champions and a fifth Oberliga promotion
BSG Energie Cottbus2:0
Motor SchönebeckMatch 1 · May 14, 1988 · Location: Cottbus Stadium: Stadion der FreundschaftMotor Babelsberg2:1
BFC Dynamo IIMatch 2 · May 14, 1988 · Location: Potsdam Stadium: Karl-Liebknecht-StadionA 2–0 win over Motor Schönebeck secures Energie’s fifth promotion to the DDR-Oberliga.
With BFC Dynamo’s reserves losing at Babelsberg, the divisional championship is also settled: Cottbus have 46 points while their challengers can reach no more than 45.
Cup final and the breakthrough
From BSG to football club
During the political and sporting transformation, BSG Energie becomes FC Energie Cottbus.
The transition to a registered association changes its legal organisation; the present statutes explicitly record succession to the former football sections.
Three goals at the floodlight premiere
Energie inaugurate the new floodlights with a 3–0 win against Lok Altmark Stendal.
Stadion der Freundschaft gains an important facility ahead of the club’s entry into professional league football.
A third-tier club reaches the DFB-Pokal final
Energie beat Karlsruher SC 3–0 in the semi-final.
Eduard Geyer’s third-tier side reach the final in Berlin, producing one of the great cup stories of the 1990s.
The first Regionalliga championship
A 2–1 win at FC Sachsen Leipzig makes Energie early champions of Regionalliga Nordost.
Promotion to the 2. Bundesliga still requires the division winners to overcome Hannover 96 in a two-legged play-off.
The breakthrough into the 2. Bundesliga
Hannover 960:0
Energie CottbusFirst leg · May 29, 1997 · Location: Hannover Stadium: NiedersachsenstadionEnergie Cottbus3:1Hannover 96Second leg · June 5, 1997 · Location: Cottbus Stadium: Stadion der FreundschaftA 3–1 victory over Hannover 96 takes Energie into the 2. Bundesliga for the first time.
After a goalless first leg, the tie is decided at Stadion der Freundschaft, where Detlef Irrgang scores twice.
The great cup final in Berlin
Energie lose the DFB-Pokal final 2–0 to VfB Stuttgart.
Two goals from Giovane Élber decide the match, but reaching the final remains a landmark in the club’s history.
Six years in the Bundesliga
First promotion to the Bundesliga
A 2–0 win over 1. FC Köln secures the third promotion place on the final day.
Just three years after entering the 2. Bundesliga, Eduard Geyer’s team reach the Bundesliga for the first time.
Bundesliga debut in Bremen
Energie’s Bundesliga debut ends in a 3–1 defeat at SV Werder Bremen.
It begins the first of three consecutive seasons in Germany’s top division.
The first Bundesliga win
Energie record their first Bundesliga win by beating Eintracht Frankfurt 2–0.
After three opening defeats, the promoted side take their first three points at Stadion der Freundschaft.
The promoted side beat Bayern
Energie beat Bayern Munich 1–0.
Vilmos Sebők scores the decisive goal against the defending champions, who will finish the season as both German and Champions League winners.
A Bundesliga starting eleven without a German player
Eduard Geyer fields eleven foreign players in the goalless draw against Wolfsburg.
For the first time in Bundesliga history, a team’s starting line-up contains no German player.
Piplica’s extraordinary headed own goal
An extraordinary own goal by goalkeeper Tomislav Piplica costs Energie victory against Gladbach.
A deflected ball drops onto the back of his head and bounces into the net for 3–3, becoming one of the Bundesliga’s best-known curiosities.
The first Bundesliga relegation
A 3–0 defeat at 1860 Munich confirms Energie’s first Bundesliga relegation with two games remaining.
After three years in the top flight, the club return to the second division.
Back in the Bundesliga
A 3–1 victory over 1860 Munich secures Energie’s second promotion to the Bundesliga.
Petrik Sander’s team retain third place on the final day, ending three years in the second tier.
Nürnberg bring the Bundesliga years to an end
Energie Cottbus0:3
1. FC NürnbergFirst leg · May 28, 2009 · Location: Cottbus Stadium: Stadion der Freundschaft1. FC Nürnberg2:0Energie CottbusSecond leg · May 31, 2009 · Location: Nürnberg Stadium: easyCredit-StadionAfter losing the home leg 3–0, Energie also lose the relegation play-off return in Nürnberg 2–0.
Their second Bundesliga relegation is confirmed after a total of six top-flight seasons.
Cup run, relegations and new beginnings
Into the cup’s last four again
A 1–0 victory over TSG 1899 Hoffenheim takes Energie into the DFB-Pokal semi-finals for the second time.
Shao Jiayi scores the decisive goal against the Bundesliga side.
Duisburg end the second great cup run
A 2–1 defeat in Duisburg ends Energie’s second run to the DFB-Pokal semi-finals.
The second-division club miss out on another trip to the final in Berlin.
The stadium becomes club property
Energie acquire Stadion der Freundschaft from the city of Cottbus.
The purchase makes the club the owner of its long-standing home ground.
Relegation from the 2. Bundesliga
A 3–1 defeat at FSV Frankfurt confirms relegation to the 3. Liga.
Even the remaining maximum of 31 points is insufficient because fellow strugglers Dresden and Bielefeld still have to play each other.
Late collapse into the Regionalliga
Two late goals turn Energie’s lead against Mainz’s reserves into a 3–2 defeat.
Relegation on the final day takes the club into the fourth tier for the first time.
The championship is decided early
A 2–0 win in Luckenwalde makes Energie early champions of Regionalliga Nordost.
Their lead is unassailable even allowing for games in hand, but promotion still depends on the play-offs against Weiche Flensburg.
The return to the 3. Liga
SC Weiche Flensburg 082:3Energie CottbusFirst leg · May 24, 2018 · Location: Kiel Stadium: Holstein-StadionEnergie Cottbus0:0SC Weiche Flensburg 08Second leg · May 27, 2018 · Location: Cottbus Stadium: Stadion der FreundschaftFollowing a 3–2 first-leg win over SC Weiche Flensburg 08, a goalless return is enough for Energie.
The opening match was played in Kiel; Cottbus complete their return to the 3. Liga at Stadion der Freundschaft.
One goal separates Energie from safety
Eintracht Braunschweig1:1Energie CottbusMatch 1 · May 18, 2019 · Location: Braunschweig Stadium: Eintracht-StadionA 1–1 draw in Braunschweig is not enough for survival because Jena and Großaspach win their simultaneous matches.
Energie and Eintracht finish on 45 points, but Cottbus return to the Regionalliga with a goal difference worse by one.
The road back to the second tier
Champions before the final round
Energie Cottbus1:0
Babelsberg 03Match 1 · May 21, 2023 · Location: Cottbus Stadium: Stadion der Freundschaft
Rot-Weiß Erfurt2:2
BSG Chemie LeipzigMatch 2 · May 21, 2023 · Location: Erfurt Stadium: SteigerwaldstadionEnergie beat Babelsberg 1–0 and win Regionalliga Nordost again.
With Erfurt drawing 2–2 against BSG Chemie Leipzig at the same time, the championship is settled before the final round.
Hottmann’s hat-trick brings the cup
Energie win the regional cup final against Luckenwalde 4–1.
Eric Hottmann scores a hat-trick as the first team claim their ninth Brandenburg Cup.
Unterhaching block promotion
Energie Cottbus1:2
UnterhachingFirst leg · June 7, 2023 · Location: Cottbus Stadium: Stadion der FreundschaftUnterhaching2:0Energie CottbusSecond leg · June 11, 2023 · Location: Unterhaching Stadium: Alpenbauer SportparkAfter losing 2–1 in Cottbus, Energie also lose the return in Unterhaching 2–0.
Despite winning their Regionalliga division, the club remain in the fourth tier.
Championship and direct promotion
A 2–0 win at Hertha BSC’s reserves secures the championship ahead of Greifswald.
This time the North-East champions gain direct promotion, ending five years in the Regionalliga.
The double and a tenth cup win
A week after promotion, Energie beat Babelsberg 3–1 in the regional cup final.
It is the first team’s tenth Brandenburg Cup; two additional club successes belong to the former reserve side.
The founding crest returns for one season
For the anniversary season 2025/26, Energie announce the return of their historic founding crest.
The old emblem accompanies the club through the season of its sixtieth birthday.
Back in the second tier after twelve years
A 1–0 win at Jahn Regensburg secures direct promotion to the 2. Bundesliga on the final day.
Twelve years after relegation, Energie return to the second tier.
Krieschow deny another double
A week after promotion to the second division, Energie lose the regional cup final to Krieschow 2–1.
The fifth-tier side win at LEAG Energie Stadion and deny Cottbus an additional cup triumph.
