12th Fan

Lore & Background

The sports club was established in its current form in 1860, adding a football department in 1899. 1860 emerged as a competitive force during the 1920s and 1930s, capturing the 1942 Tschammerpokal. They were a founding member of the Bundesliga in 1963 and won the 1964 DFB-Pokal, the 1966 Bundesliga and finished as league runners-up in 1967. Relegations and financial instability have defined the club's history since 1970, including a drop to amateur football in 1982 and a financial crisis in 2017. A brief revival saw them return to the Bundesliga in the 1990s, peaking with a fourth-place finish in 2000 and UEFA competition appearances. Mounting debt and a 16th-place finish in the 2016–17 2. Bundesliga led to investor Hasan Ismaik refusing to pay for their 3. Liga license, resulting in administrative relegation to the fourth tier. They achieved 3. Liga promotion the following season and stayed there until further financial instability caused another administrative relegation.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights hummed overhead, casting long shadows across the pristine grass of the Allianz Arena. On the pitch, eleven figures in red kits huddled, but the true power lay behind them. In the Südkurve, a sea of scarves rose in unison, a rhythmic thud of drums vibrating through the concrete. A roar began low, like distant thunder, then swelled into a deafening crescendo that seemed to shake the very foundations of the stadium. The opposing goalkeeper looked up, eyes wide, as the wall of sound crashed down upon him. It wasn't just noise; it was a force of nature, the 12th Fan breathing life into every tackle and chant, turning the night into an eternal memory of 'Mia san mia.'

Reader's Guide

1860 Munich are nicknamed Die Löwen (The Lions) and Die Blauen (The Blues), having played in sky-blue kits for most of their history. Their longest-standing and fiercest rivalry is with Bayern Munich, against whom they contest the Munich derby. 1860 shared Grünwalder with Bayern from 1925 to 1972, when both clubs moved to the Olympiastadion. The following decades saw 1860 switch between the two grounds several times. In 2005, Bayern and 1860 moved to the newly built Allianz Arena. Bayern terminated 1860's rental agreement following their 2017 relegation, after which they returned to Grünwalder.

Did You Know?

• The club was formally reestablished on 17 May 1860 after being banned in 1849 for 'republican activities'.
• 1860 won the 1942 Tschammerpokal, known today as the DFB-Pokal, by defeating Schalke 04.
• They played the 1965 European Cup Winners' Cup final against West Ham United, losing 2–0.
• In 2011, the club was rescued by Jordanian investor Hasan Abdullah Ismaik, who purchased 60% of the professional team's operating company.