The history of 1. FC Kaiserslautern

Key milestones in the club's history, in chronological order.

The key milestones at a glance.

Nicknames through the years Three names tell a story of near misses, late goals and an unbeaten season. Read the storiesClose the stories
1900–1945

Roots and the Betzenberg

  1. The roots in FC 1900

    The club traces its founding tradition to FC 1900 Kaiserslautern and celebrates June 2, 1900 as its foundation date.

    Location: Kaiserslautern
  2. Three clubs form FVK

    FC 1900, Palatia and Bavaria merge to form Fußballverein Kaiserslautern.

    Location: Kaiserslautern
  3. The Betzenberg opens

    FV Kaiserslautern inaugurate their new ground on the Betzenberg with a 2-0 defeat by FC Pfalz Ludwigshafen.

  4. Merger with Phönix

    FV Kaiserslautern and SpV Phönix 1910 merge to form FVK/Phönix Kaiserslautern.

    Location: Kaiserslautern
  5. The name 1. FC Kaiserslautern

    FVK/Phönix Kaiserslautern adopts the name 1. FC Kaiserslautern.

    Location: Kaiserslautern
1946–1962

The Walter era

  1. First German championship final

    The team led by Fritz Walter reaches its first German championship final.

  2. First DFB-Pokal final

    FCK reach the DFB-Pokal final for the first time.

1963–1989

Bundesliga and Europe

  1. A founding member of the Bundesliga

    One of the Bundesliga’s 16 founding members, Kaiserslautern begin with a 1-1 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt.

  2. Second DFB-Pokal final

    FCK lose the final in Hanover 5-0 to Schalke 04.

  3. The first European match

    FCK play their first European match away to English League Cup winners Stoke City.

  4. The 7-4 victory over Bayern Munich

    Trailing 4-1, Kaiserslautern turn the match against reigning champions Bayern Munich into a 7-4 victory.

  5. 5-0 against Real Madrid: a first European semi-final

    Real Madrid
    3:1
    1. FC Kaiserslautern
    First leg · March 3, 1982 · Location: Madrid Stadium: Betzenberg-Stadion
    1. FC Kaiserslautern
    5:0
    Real Madrid
    Second leg · March 17, 1982 · Location: Kaiserslautern Stadium: Betzenberg-Stadion

    After losing 3-1 in Madrid, FCK beat Real 5-0 in the return leg.

  6. First European semi-final match

    Kaiserslautern draw 1-1 with IFK Göteborg on the Betzenberg in the club’s first European semi-final match.

  7. Biggest Bundesliga victory

    Kaiserslautern beat Karlsruher SC 7-0.

1990–1999

Cup triumphs and championships

  1. European Cup debut

    Kaiserslautern make their European Cup debut against Bulgarian champions Etar Veliko Tarnovo.

  2. Beating Barcelona but narrowly missing out

    FC Barcelona
    2:0
    1. FC Kaiserslautern
    First leg · October 23, 1991 · Location: Barcelona
    1. FC Kaiserslautern
    3:1
    FC Barcelona
    Second leg · November 6, 1991 · Location: Kaiserslautern Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion

    Following a 2-0 defeat at Camp Nou, Kaiserslautern lead Barcelona 3-0 in the return leg.

  3. First Bundesliga relegation

    A 1-1 draw away to fellow strugglers Bayer 04 Leverkusen is not enough for survival.

  4. An immediate return to the Bundesliga

    Exactly one year after relegation, Kaiserslautern beat VfB Lübeck 7-0.

  5. First Champions League match

    Kaiserslautern beat Benfica 1-0 on their Champions League debut.

  6. Reaching the Champions League quarter-finals

    Benfica
    2:1
    1. FC Kaiserslautern
    Match 1 · November 25, 1998 · Location: Lisbon Stadium: Estádio da Luz
    HJK Helsinki
    1:3
    PSV Eindhoven
    Match 2 · November 25, 1998 · Location: Helsinki Stadium: Olympiastadion Helsinki

    Jürgen Rische’s late goal in the 2-1 defeat at Benfica secures the decisive head-to-head advantage: following the 1-0 home win, the away goal counts.

  7. First Champions League quarter-final match

    In their first Champions League quarter-final match, Kaiserslautern lose 2-0 to Bayern Munich at the Olympiastadion.

2000–2017

European nights and setbacks

  1. A second UEFA Cup semi-final

    1. FC Kaiserslautern
    1:0
    PSV Eindhoven
    First leg · March 8, 2001 · Location: Kaiserslautern Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion
    PSV Eindhoven
    0:1
    1. FC Kaiserslautern
    Second leg · March 15, 2001 · Location: Eindhoven

    Following a 1-0 first-leg victory, Kaiserslautern also win 1-0 in Eindhoven.

  2. Seventh DFB-Pokal final

    Kaiserslautern reach their seventh DFB-Pokal final.

  3. Second Bundesliga relegation

    A 2-2 draw in Wolfsburg is not enough in the direct battle for survival.

  4. The survival finale: staying in the second division

    1. FC Kaiserslautern
    3:0
    1. FC Köln
    Match 1 · May 18, 2008 · Location: Kaiserslautern Stadium: Fritz-Walter-Stadion
    VfL Osnabrück
    3:0
    Kickers Offenbach
    Match 2 · May 18, 2008 · Location: Osnabrück

    A 3-0 victory over Köln saves Kaiserslautern from dropping into the third tier on the final matchday.

  5. Promotion is secured

    Augsburg’s 1-1 draw at FSV Frankfurt secures Kaiserslautern’s return to the Bundesliga with two matches remaining.

  6. Relegation despite an away victory

    Hertha BSC
    1:2
    1. FC Kaiserslautern
    Match 1 · April 21, 2012 · Location: Berlin Stadium: Olympiastadion Berlin
    1. FC Köln
    1:1
    VfB Stuttgart
    Match 2 · April 21, 2012 · Location: Köln

    Kaiserslautern win 2-1 at Hertha BSC but are nevertheless relegated.

  7. Lowest Bundesliga finish: 18th place

    After a 5-2 defeat by Dortmund, Kaiserslautern can no longer reach even the penultimate position.

  8. Beaten by Hoffenheim in the play-offs

    Following a 3-1 first-leg defeat, Kaiserslautern also lose 2-1 to Hoffenheim on the Betzenberg.

Since 2018

Third division and comeback

  1. Dropping into the third tier for the first time

    A 3-2 defeat at Arminia Bielefeld confirms the club’s first relegation from the 2. Bundesliga.

  2. The football company files for insolvency

    1. FC Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co.

    Location: Kaiserslautern
  3. Avoiding the drop into the Regionalliga

    Viktoria Köln
    3:3
    1. FC Kaiserslautern
    Match 1 · May 15, 2021 · Location: Köln
    TSV 1860 München
    2:2
    Bayern München II
    Match 2 · May 16, 2021 · Location: Munich

    Following the previous day’s 3-3 draw at Viktoria Köln, a 2-2 draw in the Munich derby confirms survival.

  4. Returning to the 2. Bundesliga

    Following a goalless first leg, Kaiserslautern win the play-off return leg in Dresden 2-0.

  5. Reaching the DFB-Pokal final from the second division

    A 2-0 victory at 1. FC Saarbrücken takes Kaiserslautern back to the DFB-Pokal final after 21 years.

  6. Eighth DFB-Pokal final

    In their eighth DFB-Pokal final, second-division Kaiserslautern lose 1-0 to German champions Bayer Leverkusen.