historie

From our foundation to the present day

Have a look through the history of TSG 1899 Hoffenheim – from the first gymnastics classes in a stable, to the opening of our own Bundesliga stadium.

1899

TSG is founded

Founded on 1st July 1899 as a gymnastics club, the members comprised of just 20 young men. Two local pubs for the club are quickly established: The club alternates between “Zum Engel” and “Zum Rössel” for club meetings and functions. Due to lack of space, the gymnasts lease a field, with practice continuing in the stables during the winter.

1913

The club receives their long-awaited banner thanks to collections and a generous donation from the board of the Sinsheim gymnastics club.

1921

The football department of the club is founded.

1925

The decision is made to build a new gym hall.

1945

Merger

After the end of World War II, the long-suggested merger between the gymnastics and football departments finally takes place, creating "Turn- und Sportgemeinschaft 1899 Hoffenheim". One year later, a chess department is added, enjoying great success through to 1979.

1949

Anniversary

The club celebrates its 50-year anniversary in July with a two-day gala.

1968

Athletics

Athletics begins to blossom with the opening of the sports field - the club specialises in shot put and discus.

1971

In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the football section, Hoffenheim celebrates the opening of a new clubhouse in July.

1978

TSG enjoys success in other areas as well: The rhythmic gymnastics department is founded and they are crowned German champions.

1989 - 1990

Dietmar Hopp steps in

The club’s bitter relegation to Kreisklasse A is confirmed, as Hoffenheim go down 3-2 against 1. FC Stebbach in the play-off in Elsenz. Dietmar Hopp is at the match and afterwards makes a defining decision. He wants to help lead his home club out of the lower rungs of football, taking TSG Hoffenheim under his wing, and so begins the relentless march of promotions.

1990 - 1991

Promotion

TSG bounce straight back from relegation at the first attempt, gaining promotion to the district of Sinsheim's highest division.

1991 - 1992

The next promotion

Their stay in the Bezirksliga doesn't last long. An excellent season is capped by promotion to the Landesliga Rhein-Neckar.

1995 - 1996

Into the Verbandsliga

After four seasons in the Landesliga, Hoffenheim secure promotion again, this time to the Verbandsliga Nordbaden.

1996

New president

Peter Hofmann becomes president of TSG 1899 Hoffenheim e.V. He had already held various leading roles within the club since 1986. Hofmann presides as club president until he passed away on September 4th, 2020.

1998 - 1999

A gift

TSG's football section has double cause for celebration: The reserve team win the Kreisliga B in 1998, and in 1999 TSG get their own home, complete with their own clubhouse. Thanks to the generous support of Dietmar Hopp the club now have the Dietmar-Hopp-Stadion, and FC Bayern Munich, with all their star names, come to play in the opening match. It was a great day for both the club and the region as the record German champions came to town.

1999 - 2000

Into the Oberliga

Thanks to a decisive late surge, the club make the jump from the Verbandsliga to the next highest level, the Oberliga, under Alfred Schön.

2000 - 2001

New manager – Hansi Flick

Hoffenheim bring in a new head coach in the form of Hansi Flick. Flick and Schön, both former professional players, espouse their sporting philosophy together. They develop the attractive, attacking style that is now synonymous with the club, using hungry young players from the local region. TSG win the hearts of many football fans this season with technically strong, high-tempo football. More than 4,000 fans flock to the Dietmar-Hopp-Stadion to watch a 1-1 draw with neighbours SV Sandhausen, and on the final day of the season, Hoffenheim pick up three points to win their second title on the trot and gain promotion to Germany's Regionalliga.

2001 - 2002

13th in debut season

The first season in the Regionalliga Süd sees Hoffenheim finish in 13th place. In a strong division, Hansi Flick's side more than hold their own against some former Bundesliga clubs, and are able to celebrate a successful first campaign at this level.

2002 - 2003

Tough start

Ahead of the 2002/03 season, Hansi Flick strengthens his side with eight new signings. Unfortunately, it makes for a slow start to the campaign, and halfway through the season the club find themselves in 16th place. A storming run after Christmas, however, sees the team climb up the league to finish in fifth.

2003 - 2004

Leverkusen? Hoffenheim.

Hansi Flick’s side repeat this feat the following season, finishing in fifth place. But thanks to the club’s success in the DFB Cup, Hoffenheim are brought into the spotlight nationwide for the first time, as they sensationally dump Bayer 04 Leverkusen out of the competition. Unfortunately, they are eliminated in the quarterfinals by VfB Lübeck.

2004 - 2005

New training centre

In the summer of 2004, the new training ground is finished, a modern facility boasting two indoor pitches. These new facilities, and the move to become a fully professional outfit, lay the foundations for higher expectations. The club finish seventh at the end of the season, going out to Hansa Rostock in the first round of the DFB Cup.

2005 - 2006

Managerial shake up

Hoffenheim go into the new season with a much strengthened side. Things don’t quite go as planned though, and following a defeat to VfB Stuttgart's reserves in November 2005, Hoffenheim part ways with manager Hansi Flick. The vastly experienced Lorenz-Günther Köstner replaces him, but after finishing fourth and missing out on promotion, both he and sporting adviser Karlheinz Förster step down at the end of the season. There is success at least for the U19s, who gain promotion to Germany's top division.

2006 - 2007

Second division, a new hope

June 2006 is the start of a new era for Hoffenheim. The appointment of the new manager is one of 1899 Hoffenheim's first sensations: Ralf Rangnick, who finished second in the Bundesliga with Schalke and led them into the Champions League, signs a five-year contract at the club. Other new arrivals include Bernhard Peters, former hockey coach and two-time world champion, and the Germany national team’s psychologist Hans-Dieter Hermann, as well as director of football Jan Schindelmeiser. But it isn’t just the sporting aspect of the club that undergoes a structural upheaval: Under the leadership of Jochen A. Rotthaus, TSG Hoffenheim Fußball-Spielbetriebs GmbH goes from strength to strength off the field. Despite the many changes and a slow start, the club enjoy further success on the pitch, finishing second behind SV Wehen Wiesbaden to seal promotion to the second division.

2007 - 2008

Bundesliga, here we come!

With a view to the club’s ambitious development, TSG now focuses its attention on the infrastructure, particularly the stadium capacity. Dietmar Hopp chooses to build a new 30,000 capacity stadium on the A6. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim also begin work on a brand new training and business complex in Zuzenhausen. By autumn 2009, the club will open one of the most modern facilities in Germany, covering 7,000 square metres of land. There are also sporting developments at the club – the arrival of Carlos Eduardo sees him become the most expensive signing in 2. Bundesliga history. With the second youngest team in the Bundesliga, behind Kaiserslautern, TSG enjoy another successful season. After a run of seven straight wins after Christmas, the team find themselves in an automatic promotion spot. Needing a win on the final day of the season, TSG romp to a 5-0 victory against Greuther Fürth to seal promotion to the Bundesliga. 10,000 fans flock to the town hall for the end of season party, as they celebrate the club’s success together with their heroes.

2009

Our own stadium

2008 - 2009

Top at Christmas

1899 Hoffenheim start their first full season in the Bundesliga with a sensational 3-0 win away to Energie Cottbus. Ralf Rangnick’s side play their home games at Mannheim’s Carl-Benz-Stadion for the first half of the season while their new stadium is being completed. Their attacking football captures the imagination of the whole Rhein-Neckar region and Hoffenheim leave Mannheim top of the league at Christmas and still unbeaten at home. They move into their new stadium, the Rhein-Neckar-Arena, on 24th January. The first match there is played against a local XI, with 1899 running out 6-2 winners, whilst the first Bundesliga match also ends with a win against Energie Cottbus. After an injury plagued second half of the season, TSG eventually finish seventh – still much higher than anybody could have dreamt of at the start of the campaign.

2009 - 2010

Lack of consistency

Hoffenheim start the 2009/10 season full of expectation. Ralf Rangnick’s side find themselves in seventh place once again after the first half of the campaign, also reaching the quarterfinals of the DFB Cup. However, just as they did in the previous season, Hoffenheim lack consistency after the winter break. After being knocked out of the cup by Bremen, TSG eventually finish eleventh in the league.

2010 - 2011

Managerial merry-go-round

During the 2010/11 season, the managerial merry-go-round begins to turn at TSG for the first time since 2006. Head coach Ralf Rangnick, who had only just extended his contract in May 2010, leaves the club after a sound first half of the season. His assistant Marco Pezzaiuoli takes over and steers Hoffenheim through calm waters despite the departures of Luiz Gustavo and Demba Ba. However, another eleventh-place finish was the end of Pezzaiuoli’s spell in charge, as St. Pauli legend Holger Stanislawski takes over for the new season.

2011 - 2012

Stanislawski’s short tenure

The Stanislawski era starts promisingly. TSG lose their opening game against Hannover 96, but they go on to collect twelve points from their next six games and find themselves fourth in the table. Things didn’t go quite so well in the build-up to the winter break, however, as TSG sit ninth after 17 games. After a run of draws in the league and defeat in the DFB Cup quarterfinals to Greuther Fürth, Stanislawski leaves his post as manager. Markus Babbel takes control and starts with three draws and an away win in Wolfsburg. The team remain in the top half of the table for some time, before losing three consecutive games at the end of the season and finishing eleventh once again.

2012 - 2013

The miraculous survival

The 2012/13 season is without a doubt one of the most turbulent in Hoffenheim’s short Bundesliga history. Notable signings in the summer window, the goal of European football, four managers, getting back to TSG’s old roots, the miracle of Dortmund and a dramatic relegation escape - a swift round-up of an extraordinary campaign. More than just events on the pitch will stick in the memory though, following midfielder Boris Vukcevic’s car accident on 28th September 2012, a day before a home match against FC Augsburg. The 22-year-old collided head-on with a lorry and spent weeks in a coma. The team struggle to find their feet at the start of the campaign – TSG go into the winter break in 16th place, seven points short of safety. They only manage to start turning the corner after Markus Gisdol’s arrival in April. Somehow, the new manager and his players pull off a miracle in Dortmund, before beating Kaiserslautern in the play-offs to retain their Bundesliga status for another season.

2013 - 2014

Footballing spectacle

Ninth place, 44 points and a 72-70 goal record. These are Hoffenheim’s stats after 34 Bundesliga matchdays, but there is more to it than that. TSG bag more goals than in their first season in the division and produce their second-best campaign in top-flight football. The word ‘spectacle’ becomes associated with TSG throughout Germany and manager Markus Gisdol even jokes that the club should start charging the fans ‘entertainment fees’. His team often play thrilling, attacking football and have two of the Bundesliga’s shooting stars in their ranks with Kevin Volland and Roberto Firmino. During the campaign, TSG experience one of the most strange and unique moments in Bundesliga history, when Leverkusen player Stefan Kießling scores a ‘phantom goal’ in the WIRSOL Rhein-Neckar-Arena. A goal, that not only caused a stir in Germany, but worldwide.

 

2014 - 2015

So close, yet so far…

44 points, eighth place – TSG celebrate their second best season in their Bundesliga history and establish themselves in the top half of the table throughout the season. The team have never finished below ninth place under Markus Gisdol, though the manager isn’t too happy at the end of the season. “We’re somewhat disappointed and unhappy because for a long time we were floating around the Europa League spots, but in the end didn’t quite make it.” Despite that, it remains a good season for TSG, during which they celebrate the biggest Bundesliga win in the club’s history in the form of a 5-0 thrashing away at Hertha Berlin.

2015-2016

Against all odds - mission accomplished

TSG began the season with Markus Gisdol at the helm, but he was later replaced by Huub Stevens. In the end, however, it was Julian Nagelsmann who would come to the club's rescue. Three managers, a lot of defeats and an electrifying second half of the season would characterise TSG's campaign. Even the manner of the club's eventual survival was typical of the season - a defeat in Hannover ultimately doing the job due to Köln and Bremen sharing the spoils in their match. TSG were in the relegation zone for no less than 19 matchdays, but by the 34th they could look forward to a ninth Bundesliga season in Kraichgau.

2016 - 2017

#THEFIRSTTIME

TSG Hoffenheim enjoy their best campaign to date, winning more matches than ever before, going unbeaten at home all season long and only succumbing to defeat four times. The mastermind behind the success? Julian Nagelsmann. The head coach instils great self-belief and incredible tactical flexibility into his team, while staying modest himself and consistently emphasising the success of the collective. He thanks his players for helping him get his coaching career off to such a flying start and admires their willingness to learn. With 16 wins and 14 draws, the Kraichgau club ultimately finish fourth with a record points tally of 62. A 1-1 draw in Cologne on Matchday 30 ensures qualification for European football for #THEFIRSTIME. The campaign ends with the club in a Champions League play-off place, sending football fans throughout the Kraichgau region into a state of ecstasy.

2017 - 2018

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE!

Third place in the Bundesliga! Direct qualification for the Champions League! The best-ever finish in the club’s history! What ultimately turns out to be an historic campaign starts with a debut appearance on the European stage as Hoffenheim take on Liverpool for a place in the Champions League. But the English club prove too strong and TSG instead enter the Europa League, where they are unfortunately knocked out in the group phase – a learning curve for Julian Nagelsmann and his team. But they hold their nerve, look solid and score goals for fun in the Bundesliga run-in, claiming a 3-1 final-day home win over Borussia Dortmund that transforms the entire WIRSOL Rhein-Neckar-Arena into a party atmosphere!

2018

First Champions League game

On 19 September, TSG Hoffenheim make their debut appearance in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League. Julian Nagelsmann’s charges face top Ukrainian team Shakhtar Donetsk in their opening match. Florian Grillitsch scores TSG’s first-ever goal in Europe’s elite club competition on the six-minute mark as the Kraichgau club claim their first-ever Champions League point in a 2-2 draw. Unfortunately, “Hoffe” are ultimately knocked out of a group containing Manchester City, Olympique Lyon and Shakhtar Donetsk without picking up a win, but their attractive football creates some special memories for the TSG faithful.

2019

Stadium is renamed

Hoffenheim and PreZero, a waste management specialist based in Neckarsulm, conclude a long-term partnership and the stadium in Sinsheim is renamed the PreZero Arena as a result.

2020

TSG qualifies for a European competition for the third time

A 4-0 win away to Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 34 (27 June) sees TSG secure sixth place in the Bundesliga and thus qualify for European competition for the third time. As in the 2017/18 season, the team enter the group stage of the Europa League. A fantastic way to end the 2019/20 season, which had to be interrupted from 13 March to 21 May due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The last nine matchdays were played without spectators.

2020

TSG Hoffenheim mourns President Peter Hofmann

Peter Hofmann passes away on 4 September at the age of 61 after a serious illness. He was the president of the club since 1996. On 22 September, TSG Hoffenheim bid farewell with a fitting memorial service in Dietmar Hopp Stadium. Hofmann's personality shaped TSG like no other.

2021

Debut in a European knockout phase

After a strong UEFA Europa League group phase which they come through without defeat, TSG Hoffenheim qualify for the knockout stages of a European competition for the first time in the club’s history. But TSG, with Sebastian Hoeness as coach, are eliminated by Molde FK in the last 16 in February 2021 after a 3-3 draw and a 2-0 loss.

2021

Baumgärtner becomes First Chairman

At the general meeting in October 2021, Kristian Baumgärtner is elected as the new First Chairman of TSG Hoffenheim e.V.. At the general meeting, which has to be postponed several times due to the pandemic, the then 53-year-old is elected – with only one abstention and 97 votes in favour – to succeed the late former President Peter Hofmann.

2021

TSG Women shine

After finishing in third place in the Bundesliga, the TSG Women reach the UEFA Women’s Champions League for the first time. Their group opponents are FC Barcelona, WFC Arsenal and HB Köge. Following some tremendous displays, they only miss out on progression due to their inferior goal difference compared to WFC Arsenal.


2023

Baumann becomes record appearance-maker in the Bundesliga

In April, Oliver Baumann keeps the TSG goal for the 289th time in the 2-0 win over Schalke and overtakes Sebastian Rudy as Hoffenheim’s record appearance-maker in the Bundesliga.

2023

Sticking together

With André Breitenreiter and then his successor Pellegrino Matarazzo in the dugout, TSG Hoffenheim go on a 14-game winless run in the Bundesliga around the turn of the year and drop down into last place in the table. But thanks to a strong run-in, TSG still manage to stay up and ensure their participation in what will already be their 16th Bundesliga season.