Arminia Bielefeld

Die Arminen – Fahrstuhlmannschaft aus Ostwestfalen-Lippe

Arminia Bielefeld, officially Deutscher Sportclub Arminia Bielefeld e. V., is a German sports club from Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia. Commonly known as Die Arminen or Die Blauen, the club is best known for its professional football team, which has competed in the Bundesliga for 19 seasons and currently plays in the 2. Bundesliga after winning promotion in the 2024–25 3. Liga season. The club also operates field hockey, figure skating, and cue sports departments.

Quick Facts

Character: Historic Regional Rival
Region: Westphalia and North Rhine-Westphalia
Key era: 1980s Bundesliga Battles
Nickname schalke: Die Königsblauen (The Royal Blues)
Nickname bielefeld: Die Aale (The Eels)
Significance: Crucial for European qualification races

Lore & Background

Arminia Bielefeld was founded on 3 May 1905 as 1. Bielefelder FC Arminia. The club won West German championships in 1922 and 1923. They have a reputation as a yo-yo club due to frequent promotions and relegations, having been promoted to the Bundesliga eight times and most recently playing there in 2021–22. The team reached the DFB-Pokal final for the first time in 2025, losing 4–2 to Stuttgart. Their longest-standing rivalry is with SC Preußen Münster.

Reader's Guide

Arminia's colours are black, white, and blue. They have played home games at Bielefelder Alm Stadium since 1926, which has a capacity of 27,332 (7,940 terracing and 19,392 seats). Since 2004, the stadium has been named SchücoArena through a sponsorship deal. Supporters primarily originate from the Ostwestfalen-Lippe region and congregate in the south stand during matches.

Did You Know?

Arminia's name derives from the Cheruscan chieftain Arminius, who defeated a Roman army in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest.
An away match against SC Preußen Münster in November 1925 was the first football match broadcast on German radio.
Arminia set a league record in the 1979–80 season by beating Arminia Hannover 11–0.
The club's all-time leading goalscorer record was held by Ernst Kuster until Fabian Klos beat it more than half a century later.