Werder Bremen prepare for special celebrations marking Weserstadion’s 100th birthday

Werder Bremen prepare for special celebrations marking Weserstadion’s 100th birthday Werder Bremen are preparing to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Weserstadion on Saturday afternoon, with a special programme of festivities planned around their Bundesliga home fixture against SC Paderborn. The occasion will mark exactly one century since the stadium’s original opening on October 17, 1926. The Hanseatic club have already staged several commemorative events in the build-up to the historic milestone, including a special legends match against Real Madrid. Saturday’s encounter nevertheless represents the centrepiece of the centenary celebrations, with Daniel Thioune’s players set to take the field wearing a distinctive commemorative kit. A series of performances and interviews are planned ahead of the 15:30 kickoff, while Werder hope to mark the occasion with a third consecutive Bundesliga home victory. A century of football at the Weserstadion Werder officially launched their centenary celebrations during the summer , announcing a programme designed to commemorate the stadium’s sporting history and its place within the city of Bremen. Originally opened on October 17, 1926, under the name ABTS-Kampfbahn, the ground developed into one of German football’s most recognisable venues. Werder have used the stadium as their exclusive home since 1934. The celebrations have therefore extended beyond football, with special historical exhibitions, anniversary-themed stadium tours, and other activities highlighting the relationship between the club, the city, and the River Weser. One of the most prominent events took place on September 26, when Werder’s former stars returned to face a Real Madrid legends selection. The hosts secured an entertaining 4-3 victory, with former favourites Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Markus Rosenberg, Angelos Charisteas, and Diego all getting on the scoresheet. The match also featured familiar names such as Ailton, Per Mertesacker, and Naldo, alongside former Madrid stars including Pepe and Claude Makelele. The encounter offered supporters an opportunity to revisit some of the club’s most memorable eras before attention returned to the current Bundesliga campaign. Werder unveil special white anniversary kit One of the most visible elements of Saturday’s celebrations will be the commemorative shirt prepared by Werder and kit supplier Hummel. The special edition jersey features an almost entirely white design, including a monochrome version of the club’s historical crest and understated details paying tribute to the stadium’s centenary. The unusual design represents a departure from Werder’s traditional green-and-white home colours and was already worn by the club’s legends during September’s match against Real Madrid. Thioune’s current squad will now have the opportunity to wear the anniversary shirt in competitive Bundesliga action. Werder hope to avoid another spoiled birthday celebration The occasion also brings back memories of another significant anniversary at the Weserstadion. On February 10, 2024, Werder marked the club’s 125th birthday with elaborate supporter choreography and a festive atmosphere ahead of their Bundesliga meeting with newly promoted 1. FC Heidenheim. The celebrations ultimately ended in disappointment. Heidenheim raced into a two-goal lead through Lennard Maloney and Jan-Niklas Beste inside the opening 18 minutes. Bremen responded through Romano Schmid but were unable to find an equaliser, suffering a 2-1 defeat despite striking the woodwork three times. Then-captain Marco Friedl subsequently apologised to the supporters for failing to reward their efforts. “I’m incredibly sorry that we couldn’t brighten up the birthday,” Friedl told Sky Germany after the match. “It’s our own fault. I don’t think it was luck. If you look at the second half, one simply has to take a point. We had enough chances.” The parallels with Saturday’s upcoming celebrations are difficult to ignore.  Speaking to Kicker ahead of Saturday’s encounter, sporting director Clemens Fritz emphasised that the festivities must not overshadow the challenge presented by newly promoted Paderborn. Clemens Fritz wants Weserstadion to become a fortress again Werder approach Saturday’s match in encouraging form, having collected eight points from their opening five Bundesliga fixtures. Thioune’s team have already delivered two entertaining home performances, defeating RB Leipzig 3-1 before overcoming a two-goal deficit to beat Augsburg 3-2. The growing connection between the squad and supporters has also impressed Fritz, who hopes to re-establish the Weserstadion as one of the Bundesliga’s most intimidating home venues. “That’s our goal, and we’re working towards it,” Fritz explained when discussing the ambition of transforming the Weserstadion into a fortress. “We want to inspire. We’ve done that well so far, but we have to keep delivering.” GGFN  |  Peter Weis