The history of Arminia Bielefeld
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
Foundation, predecessors and responsibility
The foundation in 1905
Football enthusiasts founded the original Bielefelder Fußballclub Arminia on May 3, 1905.
The club still traces its tradition to this date. The original club and the later combined gymnastics club are recorded as separate predecessors.
The merger into Turngemeinde Arminia
Arminia merged with Bielefelder Turngemeinde von 1848.
The resulting Turngemeinde Arminia was a separate organisation and lasted until the separation in 1922.
The first western title is awarded off the pitch
TG Arminia was awarded the West German championship following a revised match ruling against Kölner BC.
The title belongs to the combined predecessor club, before Arminia was reconstituted in November. The scheduled replay was never played.
An independent football club again
After the combined gymnastics club dissolved, BFC Arminia was reconstituted under its former name on November 6, 1922.
This began a new organisational phase within the tradition dating back to 1905.
Western champions after a dramatic comeback
Arminia overturned a 1–3 deficit to beat TuRU Düsseldorf 4–3 after extra time in the decisive final.
Willi Pohl scored the winner at Essen’s Uhlenkrug. A prematurely dispatched carrier pigeon announcing a Düsseldorf victory became part of the final’s folklore.
BFC becomes DSC
In 1926, the club adopted the name Deutscher Sportclub Arminia Bielefeld.
This gave the growing sports club the name it still uses today.
The Alm becomes home
A friendly against Victoria Hamburg inaugurated the new ground on Melanchthonstraße.
The 1–5 defeat was disappointing on the pitch, but the Alm became the club’s permanent home.
Exclusion and responsibility
Arminia participated in the Nazi exclusion of Jewish members.
Former chairman Julius Hesse was among the club members later murdered. The club’s present-day remembrance work explicitly examines its responsibility.
Bundesliga, scandal and dramatic swings
Bundesliga football for the first time
A 2–0 win away to Tennis Borussia Berlin settled the promotion group in Arminia’s favour.
After years in the Regionalliga, the club had reached the Bundesliga for the first time.
A bought victory at Schalke
The 1–0 win at the Glückauf-Kampfbahn was one of the fixed matches in the Bundesliga scandal.
What had been celebrated as a sporting success involved bribery; the investigation plunged Arminia into a severe crisis.
Compulsory relegation is confirmed
The DFB federal tribunal confirmed Arminia’s compulsory relegation following the bribery scandal.
The team finished the Bundesliga season without credited points and subsequently played in the Regionalliga West. The decision was a disciplinary ruling, not the consequence of one defeat.
Three matches, no promotion
Arminia Bielefeld4:0
TSV 1860 MünchenMatch 1 · May 29, 1977 · Location: Bielefeld Stadium: Bielefelder AlmTSV 1860 München4:0Arminia BielefeldMatch 2 · June 4, 1977 · Location: Munich Stadium: Olympiastadion MünchenAfter winning 4–0 at the Alm, Arminia lost the return leg at 1860 Munich by the same score.
Munich then won the required deciding match in Frankfurt 2–0. A seemingly attainable Bundesliga promotion slipped away.
Four goals away to Bayern
Arminia beat Bayern 4–0 at Munich’s Olympiastadion.
Norbert Eilenfeldt scored twice, with Volker Graul and Helmut Schröder adding the other goals. The away victory remained a highlight of a season that nevertheless ended in relegation.
11–0: a second-division record
An 11–0 victory over Arminia Hannover at the Alm set the second division’s record winning margin.
The DFL still lists it as the competition’s biggest victory. Bielefeld finished the season with 120 goals scored.
Eleven goals conceded in Dortmund
Despite taking the lead and reaching half-time at 1–1, Arminia lost 1–11 in Dortmund.
Conceding ten goals in one half made the match an extraordinary unwanted record.
Outnumbered before kick-off
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.
Returns and setbacks
Back in professional football
A 4–0 win at Borussia Neunkirchen secured Arminia’s return to the 2. Bundesliga.
Ernst Middendorp’s team ended seven years outside the top two divisions.
Back-to-back promotions completed
VfB Leipzig3:2
SpVgg UnterhachingMatch 2 · June 2, 1996 · Location: Leipzig Stadium: Bruno-Plache-StadionDespite 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.
A seventh Bundesliga promotion
VfL Osnabrück0:0
Arminia BielefeldMatch 1 · May 16, 2004 · Location: Osnabrück Stadium: osnatel ARENASpVgg Unterhaching2:0
Energie CottbusMatch 3 · May 16, 2004 · Location: Unterhaching Stadium: Sportpark UnterhachingA 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.
Bayern ends the first cup semi-final campaign
Arminia played in a DFB-Pokal semi-final for the first time.
The match at the Alm ended in a 0–2 defeat against eventual winners Bayern Munich. Reaching the last four nevertheless set a new club landmark.
Hille’s header delivers promotion
Sebastian Hille scored the only goal against Osnabrück.
The 1–0 win with one match remaining secured promotion back to the 2. Bundesliga under Stefan Krämer.
The shock against Darmstadt
Darmstadt 981:3Arminia BielefeldFirst leg · May 16, 2014 · Location: Darmstadt Stadium: Stadion am BöllenfalltorArminia Bielefeld2:4a.e.t.Darmstadt 98Second leg · May 19, 2014 · Location: Bielefeld Stadium: SchücoArenaThe 3–1 away win in the first leg was not enough: Arminia lost the return match 2–4 after extra time.
Darmstadt’s late goal settled the tie at 5–5 on aggregate under the away-goals rule, which then also applied in extra time.
Cup surprises and new beginnings
Schwolow saves the semi-final dream
Arminia Bielefeld1:1a.e.t. · 5:4 on pens
Borussia MönchengladbachLocation: Bielefeld Stadium: SchücoArenaAfter 120 minutes ended 1–1, the third-division side beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 5–4 on penalties.
Alexander Schwolow saved the final attempt to send Arminia into the DFB-Pokal semi-finals.
Promotion one year after the heartbreak
Arminia Bielefeld2:2
Jahn RegensburgMatch 1 · May 16, 2015 · Location: Bielefeld Stadium: SchücoArena
MSV Duisburg3:1
Holstein KielMatch 2 · May 16, 2015 · Location: Duisburg Stadium: Schauinsland-Reisen-ArenaA 2–2 draw against Jahn Regensburg, together with Duisburg’s 3–1 win over Holstein Kiel, confirmed immediate promotion.
Pascal Testroet’s late equaliser earned Arminia the decisive point.
The championship follows in Großaspach
One week after securing promotion, Arminia won 1–0 away to Sonnenhof Großaspach.
This match secured the 3. Liga championship ahead of MSV Duisburg.
Six goals against a promotion contender
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.
Safety is secured
1. FC Heidenheim2:1TSV 1860 MünchenMatch 2 · May 21, 2017 · Location: Heidenheim an der Brenz Stadium: Voith-ArenaA 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.
Bündnis Ostwestfalen stabilises the club
Regional businesses pooled their support for Arminia.
The sale of the stadium to Bündnis Alm GmbH formed part of the financial restructuring. This support helped create greater stability after repeated financial crises.
An eighth Bundesliga promotion, watching from home
Arminia Bielefeld4:0
Dynamo DresdenMatch 1 · June 15, 2020 · Location: Bielefeld Stadium: SchücoArenaHamburg’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.
The second-division title is secured too
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.
Bielefeld stays in the Bundesliga
A 2–0 victory at VfB Stuttgart secured direct survival on the final day.
Fabian Klos and Ritsu Dōan scored for Frank Kramer’s team.
Back to the second division
The final-day 1–1 draw against RB Leipzig confirmed relegation.
A mathematical chance of reaching the play-off place had still existed before the match, even though survival had become highly unlikely.
A second consecutive relegation
SV Wehen Wiesbaden4:0
Arminia BielefeldFirst leg · June 2, 2023 · Location: Wiesbaden Stadium: BRITA-ArenaArminia Bielefeld1:2SV Wehen WiesbadenSecond leg · June 6, 2023 · Location: Bielefeld Stadium: SchücoArenaAfter losing 0–4 in Wiesbaden, Arminia also lost the return play-off match 1–2.
In two years, the club had fallen from the Bundesliga to the 3. Liga.
The road to Berlin and a hundred years of the Alm
Fabian Klos bows out with a cup
Arminia won the Westphalia Cup final against Verl 3–1.
After 13 years, it was Fabian Klos’s last competitive appearance for the club. The victory also earned entry to the DFB-Pokal campaign that would become so remarkable.
Bremen is beaten at the Alm
A 2–1 win over SV Werder Bremen sent Arminia into another DFB-Pokal semi-final.
The third-division side had already eliminated Union Berlin and Freiburg.
A first DFB-Pokal final
Arminia came from behind to beat holders Bayer Leverkusen 2–1.
Goals from Marius Wörl and Maximilian Großer secured the club’s first appearance in the DFB-Pokal final.
Promotion confirmed by the challengers’ results
F.C. Hansa Rostock1:3
Energie CottbusMatch 2 · May 10, 2025 · Location: Rostock Stadium: OstseestadionSaarbrücken’s 2–4 defeat in Aachen and Rostock’s 1–3 loss to Cottbus confirmed Arminia’s return to the 2. Bundesliga.
Promotion was settled on Saturday, before Bielefeld played in Unterhaching on Sunday.
3. Liga champions for the second time
A 1–0 win over Waldhof Mannheim secured the championship ahead of Dynamo Dresden on the final day.
Mitch Kniat’s team received the league trophy one week before the DFB-Pokal final.
The big final in Berlin
Arminia lost its first DFB-Pokal final 2–4 to Stuttgart.
Two late goals followed a 0–4 deficit. Reaching Berlin remained the culmination of an exceptional cup campaign by a third-division club.
The Westphalia Cup rounds off the season
Five days after the final in Berlin, Arminia beat Sportfreunde Lotte 2–0.
The season ended with promotion, the 3. Liga title, the Westphalia Cup and a first appearance in the DFB-Pokal final.
A hundred years of the 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.
