The history of Arminia Bielefeld

Milestones and background from the club's history, in chronological order.

More milestones and background for each event.

All events2. Bundesliga

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
1970–1989

Bundesliga, scandal and dramatic swings

  1. Outnumbered before kick-off

    Arminia Bielefeld
    1:3
    1. FC Saarbrücken
    2. Bundesliga
    Location: Bielefeld Stadium: Bielefelder Alm

    Numerous injuries and the rules limiting the use of amateur players left Arminia with only ten men at kick-off against Saarbrücken.

    Another injury reduced the team to nine, and the match ended in a 1–3 defeat.

1995–2014

Returns and setbacks

  1. Back-to-back promotions completed

    VfL Bochum
    2:0
    Arminia Bielefeld
    2. Bundesliga
    Match 1 · June 2, 1996 · Location: Bochum Stadium: Ruhrstadion
    VfB Leipzig
    3:2
    SpVgg Unterhaching
    2. Bundesliga
    Match 2 · June 2, 1996 · Location: Leipzig Stadium: Bruno-Plache-Stadion
    FSV Zwickau
    0:1
    VfL Wolfsburg
    2. Bundesliga
    Match 3 · June 2, 1996 · Location: Zwickau Stadium: Westsachsenstadion

    Despite losing 0–2 in Bochum, Arminia secured a second consecutive promotion.

    Unterhaching’s 2–3 defeat in Leipzig and Zwickau’s 0–1 loss to Wolfsburg were also decisive: neither challenger could catch Arminia with one match remaining.

  2. A seventh Bundesliga promotion

    VfL Osnabrück
    0:0
    Arminia Bielefeld
    2. Bundesliga
    Match 1 · May 16, 2004 · Location: Osnabrück Stadium: osnatel ARENA
    Jahn Regensburg
    0:0
    Mainz 05
    2. Bundesliga
    Match 2 · May 16, 2004 · Location: Regensburg Stadium: Jahnstadion
    SpVgg Unterhaching
    2:0
    Energie Cottbus
    2. Bundesliga
    Match 3 · May 16, 2004 · Location: Unterhaching Stadium: Sportpark Unterhaching

    A goalless draw in Osnabrück secured immediate promotion.

    Mainz also drew 0–0 in Regensburg, while Cottbus lost 0–2 in Unterhaching. Neither could catch Arminia with one match remaining.

2015–2023

Cup surprises and new beginnings

  1. Six goals against a promotion contender

    Arminia Bielefeld
    6:0
    Eintracht Braunschweig
    2. Bundesliga
    Location: Bielefeld Stadium: SchücoArena

    Fighting relegation, Arminia stunned promotion contenders Eintracht Braunschweig with a 6–0 win.

    Carsten Rump’s emotional dressing-room address and the performance that followed became symbols of Bielefeld’s resilience. Survival was not yet mathematically secured.

  2. Safety is secured

    Dynamo Dresden
    1:1
    Arminia Bielefeld
    2. Bundesliga
    Match 1 · May 21, 2017 · Location: Dresden Stadium: DDV-Stadion
    1. FC Heidenheim
    2:1
    TSV 1860 München
    2. Bundesliga
    Match 2 · May 21, 2017 · Location: Heidenheim an der Brenz Stadium: Voith-Arena

    A 1–1 draw in Dresden, combined with 1860 Munich’s defeat in 1. FC Heidenheim, secured direct survival.

    One week after the Braunschweig match, safety was finally confirmed.

  3. An eighth Bundesliga promotion, watching from home

    Arminia Bielefeld
    4:0
    Dynamo Dresden
    2. Bundesliga
    Match 1 · June 15, 2020 · Location: Bielefeld Stadium: SchücoArena
    Hamburger SV
    1:1
    VfL Osnabrück
    2. Bundesliga
    Match 2 · June 16, 2020 · Location: Hamburg Stadium: Volksparkstadion

    Hamburg’s 1–1 draw against Osnabrück confirmed Arminia’s eighth Bundesliga promotion.

    The team had beaten Dresden 4–0 the previous day. The pandemic prevented the usual celebration together with supporters inside the stadium.

  4. The second-division title is secured too

    Arminia Bielefeld
    1:0
    Darmstadt 98
    2. Bundesliga
    Location: Bielefeld Stadium: SchücoArena

    A 1–0 victory over Darmstadt secured the championship with two matches remaining.

    Just two days after promotion was confirmed, there was another reason to celebrate.

Since 2024

The road to Berlin and a hundred years of the Alm

  1. A hundred years of the Alm

    Arminia Bielefeld
    1:1
    VfL Bochum
    2. Bundesliga
    Location: Bielefeld Stadium: Stadion Alm

    The home match against Bochum marked celebrations for the stadium’s centenary.

    For the anniversary weekend, the traditional Alm name returned to official prominence. The match ended 1–1 after Arminia had taken the lead.