The history of 1. FC Kaiserslautern
Milestones and background from the club's history, in chronological order.
More milestones and background for each event.
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Nicknames through the years Three names tell a story of near misses, late goals and an unbeaten season. Read the storiesClose the stories
Roots and the Betzenberg
The roots in FC 1900
The club traces its founding tradition to FC 1900 Kaiserslautern and celebrates June 2, 1900 as its foundation date.
The club museum notes that the precise historical date has not been conclusively established. The present name follows later mergers.
Three clubs form FVK
FC 1900, Palatia and Bavaria merge to form Fußballverein Kaiserslautern.
The merger brings together three separate clubs; it is not simply a change of name for FC 1900.
The Betzenberg opens
FV Kaiserslautern inaugurate their new ground on the Betzenberg with a 2-0 defeat by FC Pfalz Ludwigshafen.
The initially modest ground will develop into the Fritz-Walter-Stadion.
Merger with Phönix
FV Kaiserslautern and SpV Phönix 1910 merge to form FVK/Phönix Kaiserslautern.
The two predecessors become one club.
The name 1. FC Kaiserslautern
FVK/Phönix Kaiserslautern adopts the name 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
The club formed by the 1929 merger now acquires the name by which it is still known.
The Walter era
First German championship final
The team led by Fritz Walter reaches its first German championship final.
Kaiserslautern lose 2-1 to 1. FC Nürnberg at Cologne’s Müngersdorfer Stadion and finish as runners-up.
First German championship
Kaiserslautern beat Preußen Münster 2-1 in the Berlin final.
Two goals from Ottmar Walter overturn the deficit and secure the first German championship for Richard Schneider’s side.
Second German championship
A 4-1 victory over VfB Stuttgart in Berlin brings Kaiserslautern a second championship.
The team led by Fritz Walter confirms its prominent place in German post-war football.
Back in the championship final as holders
The defending champions lose the final 5-1 to Hannoverscher SV 96 at Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion.
Kaiserslautern miss out on a third German championship.
A fifth championship final
Kaiserslautern reach a fifth German championship final but lose 4-3 to Rot-Weiss Essen in Hanover.
It is the last championship final of the great Fritz Walter era.
First DFB-Pokal final
FCK reach the DFB-Pokal final for the first time.
SV Werder Bremen win the final in Gelsenkirchen 2-0, leaving Kaiserslautern still waiting for their first cup triumph.
Bundesliga and Europe
A founding member of the Bundesliga
One of the Bundesliga’s 16 founding members, Kaiserslautern begin with a 1-1 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt.
FCK had finished the final season of the top-flight Oberliga Südwest as champions.
Second DFB-Pokal final
FCK lose the final in Hanover 5-0 to Schalke 04.
Despite the defeat, Kaiserslautern qualify for the UEFA Cup for the first time because league runners-up Schalke have already qualified through the league.
The first European match
FCK play their first European match away to English League Cup winners Stoke City.
The first leg of the UEFA Cup first round ends in a 3-1 defeat at the Victoria Ground.
First European victory and first tie won
A 4-0 victory on the Betzenberg overturns the 3-1 first-leg defeat by Stoke City.
FCK’s first European home match brings their first European win and progress to the next round.
The 7-4 victory over Bayern Munich
Trailing 4-1, Kaiserslautern turn the match against reigning champions Bayern Munich into a 7-4 victory.
Six second-half goals make it one of the Betzenberg’s most famous games.
Third DFB-Pokal final
The third attempt to win the cup also ends without a trophy.
Kaiserslautern lose the final 2-0 to Hamburger SV at Frankfurt’s Waldstadion.
A fourth cup final without a trophy
Eintracht Frankfurt win the final at Stuttgart’s Neckarstadion 3-1.
Kaiserslautern suffer their fourth defeat in four DFB-Pokal finals.
5-0 against Real Madrid: a first European semi-final
Real Madrid3:1
1. FC KaiserslauternFirst leg · March 3, 1982 · Location: Madrid Stadium: Betzenberg-Stadion1. FC Kaiserslautern5:0Real MadridSecond leg · March 17, 1982 · Location: Kaiserslautern Stadium: Betzenberg-StadionAfter losing 3-1 in Madrid, FCK beat Real 5-0 in the return leg.
The famous night on the Betzenberg secures a 6-3 aggregate victory and the club’s first European semi-final.
First European semi-final match
Kaiserslautern draw 1-1 with IFK Göteborg on the Betzenberg in the club’s first European semi-final match.
The eventual UEFA Cup winners prevail after extra time in the return leg.
Biggest Bundesliga victory
Kaiserslautern beat Karlsruher SC 7-0.
By goal margin, this is the club’s biggest Bundesliga victory.
Cup triumphs and championships
First DFB-Pokal triumph
The fifth final brings the first cup triumph as Kaiserslautern beat SV Werder Bremen 3-2.
Two goals from Bruno Labbadia and one from Stefan Kuntz establish an early 3-0 lead that Bremen can only reduce.
Third German championship
A 6-2 victory at 1. FC Köln secures Kaiserslautern’s third German championship and their first in the Bundesliga era.
A year after winning the cup, Karlheinz Feldkamp’s side completes another unexpected triumph.
Winning the DFB Supercup
As German champions, FCK beat cup holders SV Werder Bremen 3-1 in the Supercup final in Hanover.
It is the club’s first Supercup title.
European Cup debut
Kaiserslautern make their European Cup debut against Bulgarian champions Etar Veliko Tarnovo.
FCK win the first leg on the Betzenberg 2-0.
Beating Barcelona but narrowly missing out
1. FC Kaiserslautern3:1
FC BarcelonaSecond leg · November 6, 1991 · Location: Kaiserslautern Stadium: Fritz-Walter-StadionFollowing a 2-0 defeat at Camp Nou, Kaiserslautern lead Barcelona 3-0 in the return leg.
José Bakero scores late to make it 3-1; with the aggregate score level at 3-3, FCK go out on away goals.
First Bundesliga relegation
A 1-1 draw away to fellow strugglers Bayer 04 Leverkusen is not enough for survival.
After 33 uninterrupted Bundesliga seasons, founding member Kaiserslautern are relegated for the first time.
Cup triumph one week after relegation
Just one week after relegation, Kaiserslautern win the DFB-Pokal in Berlin.
Martin Wagner scores the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory over Karlsruher SC to secure the club’s second cup triumph.
Winning the Indoor Masters
Playing in the second division, Kaiserslautern win the DFB Indoor Masters.
In the final at Munich’s Olympiahalle, FCK come from behind to beat Bayern Munich 3-1.
An immediate return to the Bundesliga
Exactly one year after relegation, Kaiserslautern beat VfB Lübeck 7-0.
Promotion is secured with four matches remaining; the second-division championship is not yet mathematically settled.
First second-division championship
Eintracht Frankfurt0:01. FC KaiserslauternMatch 1 · June 1, 1997 · Location: Frankfurt am Main Stadium: WaldstadionA goalless draw in Frankfurt makes Kaiserslautern mathematically certain of the second-division title.
FCK can no longer be caught on 65 points; challengers Hertha BSC also lose in Jena. Finishing level on points had still been possible after the previous matchday.
Thirteen goals against Meppen
Already crowned champions, Kaiserslautern end the season with a 7-6 victory over SV Meppen.
Its 13 goals make this the highest-scoring match in the single-division 2. Bundesliga.
Returning with victory at the champions
Kaiserslautern mark their Bundesliga return with a 1-0 victory at Bayern Munich.
Michael Schjønberg scores at the Olympiastadion to give Otto Rehhagel a win against his former club.
German champions as a promoted club
1. FC Kaiserslautern4:0
VfL WolfsburgMatch 1 · May 2, 1998 · Location: Kaiserslautern Stadium: Fritz-Walter-StadionKaiserslautern beat Wolfsburg 4-0 while Bayern Munich draw 0-0 in Duisburg.
The fourth championship is thereby secured with a game to spare. For the first time, a newly promoted club wins the Bundesliga title in its first season back.
First Champions League match
Kaiserslautern beat Benfica 1-0 on their Champions League debut.
Martin Wagner scores FCK’s first goal in this competition format on the Betzenberg.
Reaching the Champions League quarter-finals
Benfica2:11. FC KaiserslauternMatch 1 · November 25, 1998 · Location: Lisbon Stadium: Estádio da Luz
HJK Helsinki1:3
PSV EindhovenMatch 2 · November 25, 1998 · Location: Helsinki Stadium: Olympiastadion HelsinkiJürgen 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.
Helsinki’s simultaneous defeat by PSV confirms FCK as group winners and quarter-finalists before the last group match. There is no round of 16 at the time.
First Champions League quarter-final match
In their first Champions League quarter-final match, Kaiserslautern lose 2-0 to Bayern Munich at the Olympiastadion.
A 4-0 defeat in the return leg eliminates FCK against the eventual finalists.
European nights and setbacks
A second UEFA Cup semi-final
1. FC Kaiserslautern1:0PSV EindhovenFirst leg · March 8, 2001 · Location: Kaiserslautern Stadium: Fritz-Walter-StadionFollowing a 1-0 first-leg victory, Kaiserslautern also win 1-0 in Eindhoven.
A 2-0 aggregate success against PSV takes FCK into a European semi-final for the second time after 1982.
The European run ends against Alavés
1. FC Kaiserslautern1:4
Deportivo AlavésSecond leg · April 19, 2001 · Location: Kaiserslautern Stadium: Fritz-Walter-StadionAfter losing 5-1 in Spain, Kaiserslautern also lose the semi-final return leg against Deportivo Alavés 4-1.
Their second UEFA Cup semi-final appearance ends without a place in the final.
Seventh DFB-Pokal final
Kaiserslautern reach their seventh DFB-Pokal final.
FCK lose 3-1 to Bayern Munich at Berlin’s Olympiastadion.
Second Bundesliga relegation
A 2-2 draw in Wolfsburg is not enough in the direct battle for survival.
FCK are relegated from the Bundesliga for the second time.
The survival finale: staying in the second division
1. FC Kaiserslautern3:0
1. FC KölnMatch 1 · May 18, 2008 · Location: Kaiserslautern Stadium: Fritz-Walter-StadionA 3-0 victory over Köln saves Kaiserslautern from dropping into the third tier on the final matchday.
Offenbach simultaneously lose 3-0 in Osnabrück and are relegated. FCK finish the season in 13th place.
Promotion is secured
Augsburg’s 1-1 draw at FSV Frankfurt secures Kaiserslautern’s return to the Bundesliga with two matches remaining.
Their own defeat by Rostock two days earlier had postponed the decision.
Second 2. Bundesliga title
1. FC Kaiserslautern1:1
FC AugsburgMatch 1 · May 9, 2010 · Location: Kaiserslautern Stadium: Fritz-Walter-StadionKaiserslautern end the season as second-division champions following a 1-1 draw with Augsburg.
St. Pauli simultaneously lose 2-1 to Paderborn. Already promoted, FCK crown the season with the championship shield.
Relegation despite an away victory
Hertha BSC1:2
1. FC KaiserslauternMatch 1 · April 21, 2012 · Location: Berlin Stadium: Olympiastadion BerlinKaiserslautern win 2-1 at Hertha BSC but are nevertheless relegated.
Köln’s simultaneous 1-1 draw with Stuttgart puts the relegation play-off place beyond reach with two matches remaining.
Lowest Bundesliga finish: 18th place
After a 5-2 defeat by Dortmund, Kaiserslautern can no longer reach even the penultimate position.
Eighteenth place is thus confirmed as the club’s lowest Bundesliga finish. The season ultimately ends with 23 points.
Beaten by Hoffenheim in the play-offs
1. FC Kaiserslautern1:2
TSG 1899 HoffenheimSecond leg · May 27, 2013 · Location: Kaiserslautern Stadium: Fritz-Walter-StadionFollowing a 3-1 first-leg defeat, Kaiserslautern also lose 2-1 to Hoffenheim on the Betzenberg.
The third-placed second-division side misses out on an immediate return to the top flight.
Third division and comeback
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.
Kaiserslautern must enter the 3. Liga for the first time in their history.
First Southwest Cup triumph
Kaiserslautern come from behind to beat Wormatia Worms 2-1 in the final in Pirmasens.
Christian Kühlwetter scores both goals, including the winning penalty in the final minute.
The football company files for insolvency
1. FC Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co.
KGaA files for insolvency under self-administration. The affected entity is the separate football company; this event does not constitute a new foundation of the club.
Retaining the Southwest Cup
After 120 goalless minutes, Kaiserslautern beat Alemannia Waldalgesheim 5-3 on penalties in the final.
All five FCK takers score to retain the trophy in Pirmasens.
Avoiding the drop into the Regionalliga
Following the previous day’s 3-3 draw at Viktoria Köln, a 2-2 draw in the Munich derby confirms survival.
Neither Bayern II nor Meppen can catch Kaiserslautern. The threat of a first drop into the fourth tier is averted.
Returning to the 2. Bundesliga
1. FC Kaiserslautern0:0
Dynamo DresdenFirst leg · May 20, 2022 · Location: Kaiserslautern Stadium: Fritz-Walter-StadionFollowing a goalless first leg, Kaiserslautern win the play-off return leg in Dresden 2-0.
Daniel Hanslik and Philipp Hercher score to end four years in the 3. Liga.
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.
Marlon Ritter and Almamy Touré score at the Ludwigspark.
Eighth DFB-Pokal final
In their eighth DFB-Pokal final, second-division Kaiserslautern lose 1-0 to German champions Bayer Leverkusen.
Granit Xhaka scores the deciding goal in Berlin.
