The Düsseldorf sports scene is an exciting and prosperous one. It has the popular and flourishing football team, the Fortuna Düsseldorf, and their state-of-the-art stadium. There is another winning ice hockey team with the DEG Metro Stars. And don’t forget the American imports of American football and baseball.
There is a well-rounded and fun variety of sports here.
Football / Soccer
The prime football or soccer team in Düsseldorf is the Fortuna Düsseldorf. This local team’s beginnings can be traced back to 1895, with the establishment of a gymnastics club in Flingern.
The Düsseldorf sports arena where they play their matches is the Esprit Arena, formerly known as LTU Arena (Arena-Straße 1). It has a capacity of over 50,000. The arena’s modern roof — which can be open or closed — ensures good weather for games at any time of the year.
Hockey
The Düsseldorf hockey team is the city’s claim to sports fame. This Düsseldorf sports club, the DEG Metro Stars, is the most successful ice hockey team in Germany. They have had over eight championships in the country.
You can catch one of their games at the ISS Dome (Theodorstraße 281), which has a capacity of 13,000 for hockey games. The Dome has been open since 2006.
American football
The Düsseldorf sports scene has one oddity for a German (or European) city. They actually have an American football team! Formed in 1978, the Düsseldorf Panther is the second most successful German-American football team with six German Bowl wins and a Eurobowl championship.
There was also the Rhein Fire in the NFL Europa. They began in 1995 and have shared their arena facilities with the local soccer team, Fortuna Düsseldorf. However, the Rhein Fire team is no longer an active sports club as it retired in 2007.
Baseball
Another American sports import is the local baseball team, the Düsseldorf senators. With a history going back to 1985, the Senators have had a successful run in their field. They won the North Rhine-Westphalia Cup for two consecutive years in the 1990s.
