Cologne Derby: Test match between Fortuna and 1. FC Cologne live!

Cologne Derby: Test match between Fortuna and 1. FC Cologne live!

An exciting derby is coming up: Today, July 18, 2025, 1. FC Cologne will meet Fortuna Cologne in the Südstadion Cologne. Kick-off is at 6 p.m. and the anticipation among the fans is huge. The test match, which is equally important for both teams, has already ensured high demand for tickets in advance, so a full house is expected.

1. FC Köln, under new coach Lukas Kwasniok, is playing its second preseason friendly today. Previously, the team showed the potential that gave the fans hope in an impressive 7-1 win against Bergisch Gladbach. New signing Ragnar Ache could be on the pitch right from the start, which would certainly put a smile on the faces of the home fans. Kwasniok has announced that he wants to do some experiments with the lineup in this friendly.

Fortuna Cologne: A challenging preparation

Fortuna Cologne, on the other hand, has to toast the final test after being invited to the derby. Despite a brilliant start to the preparation with five test games played, in which they were able to celebrate some big victories, such as the 9-0 win against TuS Koblenz, there was recently a bitter setback. The last encounter ended with a clear 0:5 defeat against RW Essen, which once again tested the team's morale.

• 5:0 gegen SC Wißkirchen
• 9:0 gegen TuS Koblenz
• 3:0 gegen SG Vordereifel Müllenbach (Blitzturnier in Laubach)
• 0:0 gegen Eintracht Trier (Blitzturnier in Laubach)
• 0:5 gegen Rot-Weiss Essen

This registration makes it clear that Fortuna needs both fighting commitment and a solid strategy in order to be able to survive against the Bundesliga team. After all, they know how to take on this challenge with a motivated defense and good team spirit.

Livestream information

There is good news for all those who cannot watch the derby live in the stadium: the test match will not be broadcast on television, but fans can easily follow the exciting game in the live stream on the YouTube channel of 1. FC Köln and on fc-tv.

These test matches are not only an important opportunity to prepare for the season, but also offer a first look at the teams' performances. The Bundesliga starts on August 22nd, while the 2nd Bundesliga and the 3rd league open their gates on August 1st. Of course, every coach is required to find the best players for the challenges ahead in the new season.

So let's be excited to see how the derby between 1. FC Köln and Fortuna Köln turns out this evening and hope for an exciting game with many highlights. Football fans, get ready!