Schweinfurt 05: Back to professional football with passion!

Schweinfurt 05: Back to professional football with passion!

FC Schweinfurt 05 is back in professional football! With a thrilling 2-1 win over the Würzburger Kickers on May 2, 2025, the traditional club secured promotion to the 3rd league. This outstanding event was celebrated in front of 12,000 cheering fans in the Sachs Stadium, who duly honored the club's success after 23 years of absence from the second division. It is a truly remarkable return, as FC Schweinfurt went bankrupt in 2005 and restarted from the regional league.

Markus Wolf, managing director and largest financial backer of the club, said he was pleased with his team's relaxed situation before the final promotion. In a meeting in the summer of 2021, he said: “We no longer have any pressure to become champions in the Bavarian Regional League.” This is particularly impressive given that the team had failed to return to professional football four times in recent years. Wolf described the promotion as “surreal” and emphasized that without his tireless commitment and money, things would have turned out very differently for the club.

A mix of tradition and challenges

The history of FC Schweinfurt 05 is characterized by ups and downs. The team was once an integral part of the top football leagues in Germany before falling into financial turmoil and was last active in professional football in the early 2000s. In 2013, the club only saw itself as a top league team and fought not to be forgotten. The challenge of increasing the club's visibility and maintaining contact with its fans was particularly great during the corona pandemic and geopolitical unrest.

The promotion that has now taken place means that FC Schweinfurt will be able to compete against other traditional clubs in the coming years. This makes the home games special events that appeal not only to the club's fans, but also to football lovers in the region. But the road there remains rocky. As is well known, there is great uncertainty in the regional league, be it due to the financial challenges or the strict promotion regulations. According to reports from ZDF, there are problems that endanger not only the visibility but also the financial stability of the clubs.

The look forward

The regional league acts as an interface between professional and amateur football. Talents at this level often have to spend heavily on players and infrastructure in order to gain admission to the league. In recent years, numerous clubs in this league have had to file for bankruptcy, which puts additional pressure on the competitive situation. Reform discussions about promotion modalities are in full swing, and while some traditional clubs are aiming for promotion, smaller clubs often have other priorities.

FC Schweinfurt shows that with determination and the right concept, a return to professional football is possible. A club that draws from its own ranks naturally has a particularly good chance of getting back on track and establishing itself in the new environment of the 3rd league. Looking back at our own roots and the challenges we have overcome will continue to play a central role.

What the football landscape will look like in the next few years remains to be seen, but for FC Schweinfurt 05 one thing is certain: a new chapter has begun and fans can look forward to exciting games and an exciting season. This is how the dream of professional football finally becomes a reality.

For more information about the rise of FC Schweinfurt 05, read the detailed reports from Kicker, South Germans and ZDF.