 | |||
| Full name | Deutscher Sport-Club Arminia Bielefeld | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | Die Arminen,[1]Die Blauen (The Blues)[2] | ||
| Founded | 3 May 1905; 120 years ago (1905-05-03) as1. Bielefelder FC Arminia | ||
| Ground | Bielefelder Alm (SchücoArena), Bielefeld | ||
| Capacity | 27,332[3] | ||
| President | Rainer Schütte[4] | ||
| Head coach | Michél Kniat | ||
| League | 2. Bundesliga | ||
| 2024–25 | 3. Liga, 1st of 20 (promoted) | ||
| Website | www | ||
 Current season | |||
DSC Arminia Bielefeld (pronounced[ˌdeːʔɛsˈtseːʔaʁˈmiːni̯aˈbiːləfɛlt]; full name:Deutscher Sportclub Arminia Bielefeld e.V.[ˈdɔʏtʃɐˈʃpɔʁtklʊpʔaʁˈmiːni̯aˈbiːləfɛlt]; commonly known asArminia Bielefeld (German pronunciation:[aʁˌmiːniaˈbiːləfɛlt]ⓘ), also known asDie Arminen[diːˈʔaʁmiːnən] orDie Blauen[diːˈblaʊən]), or justArminia (pronounced[aʁˌmiːnia]ⓘ), is a Germansports club fromBielefeld,North Rhine-Westphalia. Arminia is best known as a professionalfootball club, having competed in the first-tierBundesliga for a total of 19 seasons. It currently plays in the2. Bundesliga after winning promotion in the2024–25 3. Liga season. The club also operatesfield hockey,figure skating andcue sports departments.
Arminia won twoWest German Championships, in 1922 and 1923. They were also successful in the 1980s and 2000s, having played five consecutive years in the Bundesliga in each of those decades.Arminia have earned a reputation as ayo-yo club (Fahrstuhlmannschaft) for their frequentpromotions and relegations. They had prolonged spells in regional third-tier football in the 1950s and early 1990s, but have also been promoted to theBundesliga eight times, and most recently played in the Bundesliga in2021–22. The team reached the final of theDFB-Pokal for the first time in2025, but lost 4–2 toStuttgart.
Arminia's colours are black, white and blue. They have played home games at theBielefelder Alm Stadium since 1926. The stadium's current capacity of 27,332 includes 7,940 asterracing and 19,392 seats. Since 2004, Bielefelder Alm has been namedSchücoArena through a sponsorship deal. The club's supporters primarily originate from theOstwestfalen-Lippe region, and supporters' groups primarily congregate in Bielefelder Alm's south stand during matches. Arminia's longest-standing rivalry is withSC Preußen Münster, a club from westernWestphalia.
Arminia Bielefeld was founded on 3 May 1905 as1. Bielefelder FC Arminia.[5] The fourteen men who founded the club were from the local bourgeoisie. Arminia's name derives from theCheruscan chieftainArminius, who defeated aRoman army in theBattle of the Teutoburg Forest.[6] Two weeks later, the club played its first match against a team fromOsnabrück. Neither the name of the opponent nor the result are known. The club was admitted to theGerman Football Association in the same year and started to play in a league (in one consisting only of Arminia and three teams from Osnabrück, at first) in 1906.[7] In 1907, local rivalsFC Siegfried joined Arminia, a move which strengthened Arminia's squad.[8] Soon other clubs from Bielefeld joined League football.
After playing on various grounds, Arminia moved to a new home at the Pottenau in 1910. Their first league championship came during the 1912–13 season, when they won the Westphalian championship beatingBV 04 Dortmund 5–1 in the final.[9] The outbreak of World War I interrupted Arminia's rise, and between 1914 and 1918 the club played at thedistrict level.
In 1919, Arminia merged withBielefelder Turngemeinde 1848 to formTG Arminia Bielefeld. However, the two merged teams dissolved the merger in 1922 and both parent clubs were formed again. Arminia won the West German championship in 1922. Originally, they were level on points withKölner BC 01, but Köln fielded an ineligible player in one match.[citation needed] Arminia played for the first time in the German Championships, but were eliminated in the quarter-finals after losing 5–0 toFC Wacker München. In 1923, Arminia won their second West German championship in a dramatic way.[according to whom?] They trailedTuRU Düsseldorf 3–1 at half time of the final, but came from behind to win 4–3 after extra time. Arminia facedUnion Oberschöneweide in the quarter-finals of the German championships. The match ended goalless, so a replay was held. Arminia led 1–0 and conceded the equalizer in injury time. The Berlin side won the match after extra time.[10]Walter Claus-Oehler became Arminia's first player to win a cap in theGerman national team. Arminia won further Westphalian titles from 1924 to 1927, but were unable to repeat their success in the West German Championships. An away match againstSC Preußen Münster in November 1925, which Arminia won 5–0, was the first football match to be broadcast on German Radio.[6] On 30 January 1926, the club took its current nameDeutscher Sportclub Arminia Bielefeld. Their next piece of silverware was won in 1932 by winning the Westphalian cup.
In 1933, Arminia qualified for theGauliga Westfalen,[11] from which they were relegated after the inaugural season. Three attempts of gaining promotion failed before their return to the top flight was won in 1938. Their best performance in the Gauliga was the 1939–40 campaign, where Arminia finished second. Two years later, Arminia was one of only two teams to win a match atSchalke 04. On 25 July 1943 Arminia merged with local rivalsVfB 03 Bielefeld. The merger finished the 1943–44 season in last place.
After World War II, a new league with all teams who competed in the Gauliga Westfalen was formed. Arminia were relegated and were unable to win re-promotion. In 1947–48, Arminia were a third division side for the first time in their history. After a dominating season in the Bezirksklasse,[according to whom?] Arminia was docked 14 points because they fielded an ineligible player.[12] The next season was already under way when the Landesliga (II) was expanded by two teams. Arminia took their chance,[tone] won the league and gained promotion to theOberliga West.[13]
Arminia's time in the Oberliga lasted only one season. Arminia beatSchalke 04 4–2 at home but finished only second from the bottom.[14] In 1954, Arminia were even relegated to the third tier, the "Landesliga Westfalen, Gruppe Ostwestfalen", a league only covering the north-eastern part of Westphalia. In 1956, Arminia qualified for a new third tier, the "Verbandsliga Westfalen, Gruppe Ostwestfalen", which encompassed a slightly larger area.[15]
In 1962 Arminia become a second division side again (then: 2. Liga West, covering the whole of North Rhine-Westphalia). In 1962–63 they finished in seventh place to secure a spot in the newly formedRegionalliga West, which was situated directly below the new Bundesliga.[16]
Arminia finished their first season in mid-table, but recorded a top-half finish in four of the following five seasons. In 1966, Arminia beatAlemannia Aachen to win the West German Cup for the first time. The following year, the forward Ernst Kuster joined the team. He went on to become the club's all-time leading goalscorer, untilFabian Klos beat his record more than half a century later. A 1–0 loss toWuppertaler SV on the last day of the 1966–67 season stopped Arminia entering the Bundesliga promotion play-offs.[17] Arminia were runners-up in the 1969–70 season, and won their first promotion to the Bundesliga after a 2–0 win atTennis Borussia Berlin in the play-offs.[18]
Halfway through theirfirst Bundesliga season, Arminia were in 17th place, a relegation position, but went on to finish the season in 14th.[19] However, near the end of the season, the president ofKickers Offenbach,Horst-Gregorio Canellas, revealed that Arminia and several other clubs had engaged in match-fixing.[20] Three of the ten Bundesliga games proven by the DFB to have been manipulated through bribery directly involved Arminia.[citation needed] Two players at the club were banned from football for life (Waldemar Słomiany and Jürgen Neumann).[citation needed] Arminia participated in the1971–72 Bundesliga season while the investigation was ongoing, and finished in last place, but were found guilty of match-fixing by the DFB and were denied a licence and forcibly relegated at the end of the season.[21] Arminia finished mid-table in the following seasons, but did qualify for the newly formed2. Bundesliga in 1974.
After returning to the 2. Bundesliga in 1974, Arminia becameHerbstmeister during the1976–77 2. Bundesliga season, but finished as runners-up behindSt. Pauli and faced1860 Munich in a two-legged promotion play-off. Arminia won the first match at home 4–0, but lost the second leg in Munich, also 4–0. A third match had to be played inFrankfurt, which Munich won 2–0.[22]
The team recovered to win promotion to the Bundesliga for the1978–79 season. Under the management ofOtto Rehhagel, they won 4–0 atBayern Munich on 10 March 1979,[23] but finished in 16th place, unable to avoid relegation. The club kept the team together and were immediately promoted back to the Bundesliga after a record-breaking1979–80 season. They won 30 of 38 matches, scored 120 goals, had a 28 match unbeaten streak and set a league record by beatingArminia Hannover 11–0.[24]
Arminia had difficulty avoiding relegation, but stayed in the Bundesliga for five years. This period included two eighth-place finishes at the end of the1982–83 and1983–84 seasons, which remain Arminia's best finishes in the Bundesliga.[6] Arminia also took part in theUEFA Intertoto Cup three times.
In August 1981, the Arminia Bielefeld midfielderEwald Lienen was the victim of what the press referred to as "the most brutal foul in Bundesliga history".[25][26]Werder Bremen's defenderNorbert Siegmann slashed Lienen's rightthigh in a tackle, exposing his muscles and femur.[27] Attendances declined in the mid-1980s, increasing the club's financial problems.[28] In1984–85, Arminia finished third from bottom, and lost a relegation play-off against1. FC Saarbrücken.[29]
By the autumn of 1987, Arminia had debts of 4.5 millionMarks.[citation needed] In1987–88 they finished in last place in the 2. Bundesliga and were relegated into theOberliga Westfalen.Ernst Middendorp became the new manager and assembled a young team for the next season. Arminia finished second in the Oberliga in 1988–89. They won the Oberliga a year later, but failed to advance after promotion play-offs againstVfB Oldenburg andTSV Havelse. Four seasons of not qualifying for the 2. Bundesliga promotion play-offs followed, in which the team started well, but were unable to compete for the championship. In 1991, Arminia won theWestphalian Cup, the regional qualification cup for theDFB-Pokal, and beatFSV Mainz 05 in the first round of the1991–92 DFB-Pokal.
In the spring of 1994, Arminia signed the veteran Bundesliga playersThomas von Heesen,Armin Eck andFritz Walter. Arminia struggled at first but went on to become champions of the newly formedRegionalliga West/Südwest to end a run of seven seasons in local league football.[15] They were then runners-up in the1995–96 2. Bundesliga. Arminia signedStefan Kuntz for the1996–97 Bundesliga season, their first in 11 years and finished in 14th position.
In 1997, the club signed the first two Iranian Bundesliga players,Ali Daei andKarim Bagheri.[6] The formerSK Brann playerGeirmund Brendesæter was also signed, and played 13 matches for the club.[30] However, after a poor run after the winter break, Arminia were relegated shortly after Brendesæter had left the club.Bruno Labbadia became the league's top scorer with 28 goals during the1998–99 season and the club immediately regained promotion to the Bundesliga by winning the 2. Bundesliga. The club entered the1999–2000 season with a smaller budget due to financial problems and was subsequently relegated after becoming the third team in history to lose ten matches in a row.
Arminia struggled against relegation again the next season but avoided dropping into the Regionalliga with a 13th-place finish.[31] The following year, Arminia they won their sixth promotion to the Bundesliga in2001–02 by finishing second behindHannover 96, withArtur Wichniarek scoring 18 goals.[32][33] Arminia were unable to avoid relegation the following season, earning only two points from the last six matches.[34][35] Arminia's tendency to move frequently between divisions during and since this period has led to them being described as aFahrstuhlmannschaft, or yo-yo club.[36]
The team earned promotion to the Bundesliga again in2003–04, with the Ghanaian strikerIsaac Boakye scoring 14 goals in his debut season.[37] They stayed in the top flight until 2009. In2004–05,Patrick Owomoyela became Arminia's mostcapped German player with his third appearance for thenational team.[38] Owomoyela went on to appear in six internationals while at Bielefeld, a club record. Owomoyela andDelron Buckley, who scored of 15 Bundesliga goals during the 2004–05 season, left the club in 2005. Arminia reached the semi-finals of the DFB-Pokal in both2005 and2006, losing toBayern Munich andEintracht Frankfurt respectively. The campaign "Aktion 5000 +" began to increase club membership beyond their 5,000th member, after reaching this milestone at the end of 2005.[39]
Arminia finished 13th in the Bundesliga in both2004–05 and2005–06. Players from this team subsequently left the club, includingFatmir Vata andHeiko Westermann in 2007, andMathias Hain,Sibusiso Zuma andPetr Gabriel in 2008. UnderErnst Middendorp, Arminia avoided relegation during the2006–07 season after winning four consecutive matches towards the end of the season. The 2007 demolition of the East Stand drew the attention of fans and the local media, with the club establishing a webcam to follow the project, as well as a daily attendance of roughly 300 fans to witness the works.[40] The East Stand was notable at the time as being the last touchline terraced stand.[citation needed]
The2007–08 season began with three wins in the first five matches,[41] but three matches later Arminia recorded their second largest Bundesliga defeat when they lost 8–1 away toWerder Bremen.[42] Relegation was avoided on the final day of the season as1. FC Nürnberg lost at home while Arminia drew againstVfB Stuttgart.[41] The followingseason, Arminia finished in last place and were relegated to the2. Bundesliga.
Rüdiger Kauf,Dennis Eilhoff,Jonas Kamper andRadim Kučera remained a part of the squad for the2009–10 2. Bundesliga season. On 16 March 2010, Arminia were deducted four points for breaching theDFL's licensing regulations, and finished the season in seventh place.[43][44] The financial situation worsened, especially as costs for constructing the East Stand had proven to be much higher than originally planned.[45] The coach, the managing director and the president were replaced in the summer. The2010–11 season started with Arminia in last place after 11 matches, with only four points.[46] In November, their managerChristian Ziege was replaced byEwald Lienen, the former Bielefeld player and member of the fan-voted "Best XI" of all time. However, Arminia picked up 16 points and won only four games all season, resulting in a last-place finish and relegation to the3. Liga.
For the2011–12 season, a new team was formed with players includingPatrick Platins,Manuel Hornig,Tom Schütz,Sebastian Hille,Thomas Hübener,Patrick Schönfeld,Johannes Rahn andFabian Klos.Stefan Ortega Moreno joined from the club's youth team. After a poor start,[according to whom?] they finished 13th but won theWestphalia Cup, beatingPreußen Münster in the final. This qualified Arminia for the2012–13 DFB-Pokal, where they beat the 2. Bundesliga teamSC Paderborn 07, but lost in the second round againstBayer Leverkusen. On 11 May 2013, Bielefeld beatVfL Osnabrück 1–0 to guarantee a top two finish and promotion back to the 2. Bundesliga for the2013–14 season.
In 2013–14, Arminia qualified for the second round of theDFB-Pokal again, but declining league form led their coachStefan Krämer – the first manager to have held office for more than two years since 2004 – to depart. Under his successor,Norbert Meier, Arminia finished 16th, and lost a relegation play-off againstSV Darmstadt 98 on away goals after a late extra-time goal.
In the2014–15 DFB-Pokal, as a3. Liga club, Arminia defeated threeBundesliga teams (Hertha Berlin,Werder Bremen andBorussia Mönchengladbach) to reach the semi-finals, where they lost toWolfsburg. They also gained promotion back to the 2. Bundesliga after a 2–2 draw againstJahn Regensburg and went on to secure the title in their last match.
In2015–16 Arminia lost in the first round of theDFB-Pokal and recorded 18 draws in the league. Their 4–2 win overGreuther Fürth, only their third win at home that season, ensured survival in a season when they finished 12th and drew away against the league's top three teams. After the season, the coachNorbert Meier was bought bySV Darmstadt 98. Two managers were sacked in the2016–17 season[citation needed] but Arminia avoided relegation as they finished in 15th after a 6–0 win over promotion candidatesEintracht Braunschweig and a 1–1 draw againstDynamo Dresden in their last two matches. They reached the quarter-finals of theDFB-Pokal where they lost toEintracht Frankfurt.
The2017–18 season turned out easier as Arminia finished fourth. The club also lowered its debts through an alliance of sponsors[47] andFabian Klos replaced Ernst Kuster as the club's all-time top scorer.[48] In November 2018, the club sold its stadium.[49] In the2018–19 season Arminia finished seventh in the league after their coachJeff Saibene was replaced byUwe Neuhaus, but lost 3–0 at home againstMSV Duisburg in the second round of theDFB-Pokal.
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The2019–20 season saw an improvement, as the club won the 2. Bundesliga and equalled the record for most promotions to theBundesliga with their eighth promotion, a record they hold jointly with1. FC Nürnberg.[6] An early-season 2–0 victory away againstHannover 96 moved them to third in the table, and they occupied the second promotion place when they metSchalke in the second round of theDFB-Pokal on October 2019. After Schalke led by three goals, Arminia scored twice in the last twenty minutes and almost forced extra time but eventually lost 3–2.[50] They moved top of the league in December, ahead of other promotion candidates includingHamburger SV andVfB Stuttgart. After Arminia's 1–1 draw in Stuttgart on 9 March 2020, the season was interrupted because of theCOVID-19 pandemic, but they finished as champions with 68 points, ten more than second-placed Stuttgart, having lost only two league matches all season.[51]
In the2020–21 season, Arminia were the team with the lowest budget in the Bundesliga.[citation needed] In March 2021, their managerUwe Neuhaus was replaced byFrank Kramer.[52][53][54] A 2–0 win overVfB Stuttgart in the final match secured their spot in the2021–22 Bundesliga, but they finished that season in 17th place and were relegated to the2. Bundesliga. In the 2022–23 season, Arminia finished 16th and lost the relegation play-off toWehen Wiesbaden, recording consecutive relegations. In their fourth season in the 3. Liga in2023–24, the captainFabian Klos announced his retirement from professional football to end his 13-year career with the club.[55]
In 2025, the team reached the final of theDFB-Pokal for the first time after defeating the holdersBayer Leverkusen 2–1. They were the first third division club to reach the final since 2001, and the first such team to knock out four higher ranked Bundesliga teams in one season.[56][57][58] Their American captainMael Corboz in particular received international attention.[59][60][61] In May 2025, Arminia secured the 3. Liga title by beatingWaldhof Mannheim 1–0 in their final fixture,[62] but the following week they lost theDFB-Pokal final 4–2 to Stuttgart.[63]
Arminia took the club colours blue, white and black upon their foundation in 1905, but they played their first match in an orangekit. Arminia's home kit was blue for most of the time, while their shorts and socks were white. The team that played in the Bundesliga in the 1970s wore a blue shirt with thick white stripes.[64] The away kit was mostly all white, while green shirts were worn in the 1990s.[65] The club's current colours are black, white and blue.[66]
The crest consists of a flag with the club's colours, black, white and blue. The white part of theflag includes the letter A for Arminia. The flag is surrounded by alaurel wreath.[67]
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor (chest) | Shirt sponsor (sleeve) | Shirt sponsor (back) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prior to 1975 | None (In-House) | None | None | None |
| 1975–1979 | Adidas | granini | ||
| 1979-1985 | Seidensticker | |||
| 1985-1988 | granini | |||
| 1988-1991 | Schüco | |||
| 1991-1993 | Lotto | Sportlepp | ||
| 1993-1994 | Forum Jahnplatz/NaturoKork | |||
| 1994-1996 | Westfalen Blatt | |||
| 1996-1998 | Reusch | Gerry Weber | ||
| 1998-2000 | Herforder Pils | |||
| 2000-2001 | Uhlsport | |||
| 2001-2002 | Real | |||
| 2002-2004 | KiK | |||
| 2004-2005 | Krombacher | |||
| 2005-2010 | Saller | |||
| 2010-2011 | Schüco | |||
| 2011-2014 | getgoods.de | |||
| 2014-2017 | Alpecin | JAB Anstoetz Group | ||
| 2017-2020 | Joma | Schüco | ||
| 2020-2025 | Macron | |||
| 2023-2024 | holz4home | |||
| since 2025 | Umbro | None |
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Arminia played their first home matches at theKesselbrink in downtown Bielefeld. They moved to a new ground at theKaiserstraße (today:August-Bebel-Straße) in 1907, and to thePottenau in 1910. In 1926, Arminialeased a ground from a farmer named Lohmann.[citation needed] The ground did not look like a football pitch. The club member Heinrich Pahl said that the area looks like an Alm (German foralpinegrassland), so the stadium was known as the Alm. Arminia played its first match againstVictoria Hamburg on 1 May 1926. The first grandstands were constructed in 1954. When Arminia won promotion to the Bundesliga in 1970, the Alm underwent a general development. A main stand with seats was built and the northern and eastern stands were enlarged. The Alm had a capacity of 30,000 andfloodlights were installed. In 1978, a roof was added to the main stands and the other stands were enlarged again. The stadium had a capacity of 35,000 then.
When Arminia was relegated to the Oberliga in 1988, the northern and the southern stand were torn down because both stands did not match the new safety regulations.[vague] The eastern stand was also made smaller and a roof was added. The capacity was reduced to about 15,000. After Arminia won promotion to the Bundesliga in 1996, the main and northern stands were demolished and completely rebuilt. The same happened to the south stand in 1999. In 2004, Arminia signed a sponsorship deal with Schüco and the stadium was namedSchücoArena.[72] The latest redevelopment saw the Eastern Stand rebuilt in 2008.[73]
The stadium has a capacity of 27,332, including 7,940 terraced spaces and 19,392 seats.[72] Bielefelder Alm was a candidate to host matches of the2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.[citation needed]
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Arminia have a large number of loyal supporters.[according to whom?] Even in 2011–12,[vague] Arminia had an average attendance of 8,930, which was the highest in the3. Liga. In 2014–15, Arminia had an average attendance of 14,540, which was the second highest in that 3. Liga season. The numbers also show the risen popularity of the 3. Liga.[vague] Arminia's matches during the 2013–14 2. Bundesliga were attended by 16,890 on average.[74] These numbers only count league matches. Arminia's matches in the 2014–15 DFB-Pokal were attended by 21,763 on average. The core[according to whom?] of the fans can be found on the terraces of the Southern Stand.
Arminia's fans come primarily from theOstwestfalen-Lippe region, itself comprising two distinct cultural regions (easternWestphalia andLippe), with acatchment area of about 100 kilometers around Bielefeld.[according to whom?] There are around 140 fan clubs, mostly from Ostwestfalen-Lippe.[according to whom?] However, there are fan clubs in Berlin,Stuttgart, London, Birmingham, Taunton, Austria and the Netherlands.[citation needed]
The team's games are regularly broadcast by local radio stationRadio Bielefeld and commentator Ulrich Zwetz.[75][76][77]
There is a traditional rivalry withSC Preußen Münster. The match against them in March 2012, which was the first one taking place in Bielefeld after nearly 20 years, was attended by 21,203 spectators. No other match in the3. Liga had such a high attendance.[according to whom?] One year later, the stadium was nearly sold out in that derby. An earlier rival was VfB 03 Bielefeld from the east of Bielefeld, but the rivalry lessened, and, nowadays,[when?] friendly matches between Arminia andVfB Fichte Bielefeld, as the club nowadays is called, take place every year. Another rival isVfL Bochum, especially since the late 90s, and there were "fashion rivalries" with other clubs from theRuhr, because that area also belongs to Westphalia.[78] ManySC Paderborn 07 supporters consider Arminia as their main rival, but Arminia fans generally do not feel the same about them.[79][80] Also the matches againstVfL Osnabrück are a small derby (somehow oscillating between friendship and rivalry).[vague] There are friendly relations to the supporters of theHamburger SV,[vague] with both clubs sharing the same colours (black, white and blue), resulting in the chant"Schwarz, weiß, blau – Arminia und der HSV" (Black, white, blue – Arminia and HSV) among supporters of both clubs. For many fans this friendship also involves friendly ties toHannover 96, whose fans share a friendship with Hamburg as well. The three clubs are sometimes dubbed the "Nordallianz" (Northern Alliance), despite Bielefeld not being located in what is considered northern Germany.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the club's formation, a fan poll was taken to determine the club's greatest starting XI, as well as seven substitutes and a manager. The following players were chosen:[82]
Starting XI | Substitutes Manager |  |
The player who has won the most international caps while at the club (from 1997 to 2000) isKarim Bagheri with 28 forIran.[83] He and his team-mateAli Daei were important Iranian players in the1998 FIFA World Cup. They are the only footballers having taken part in a World Cup's final tournament while playing for Arminia. Other remarkable Arminia players who represented foreign countries while at the club arePasi Rautiainen,Artur Wichniarek,Markus Weissenberger,Fatmir Vata,Isaac Boakye,Delron Buckley,Sibusiso Zuma,Rowen Fernández,Christopher Katongo,Jonas Kamper,Ritsu Dōan andAlessandro Schöpf.[84]
Four players were capped byGermany during their time with Arminia:Walter Claus-Oehler in 1923,Stefan Kuntz in 1996,Ronald Maul in 1999 andPatrick Owomoyela in 2004 and 2005. He played six matches for Germany in this time and thus holds the record. Some of the most famous former Arminia players played for their national teams only between their times with Arminia (Uli Stein andJörg Böhme) or after their years with Arminia (Dieter Burdenski,Thomas Helmer,Arne Friedrich,Heiko Westermann andJonathan Clauss).
| Coaching staff | |
|---|---|
 Michél Kniat | Head coach |
 Daniel Jara | Assistant coaches |
| Oliver Döking | |
| Janik Steringer | Assistant coach and Video-Analyst |
| Steffan Süssner | Goalkeeping coach |
| Fitness coaches | |
| Niklas Klasen | Fitness Coach |
| Malte Hornemann | Rehabilitation Coach |
| Medical department | |
| Dr. Andreas Elsner | Team doctors |
| Dr. Tim Niedergassel | |
| Dr. Stefan Budde | |
| Mario Bertling | Physiotherapists |
| Arne Böker | |
| Sport management and organisation | |
| Sandra Hausberger | Team Manager |
| Rainer Schonz | Kit Manager |
| Sebastian Wolf | Bus Driver |
| Coach | Nationality | from | to | Significant events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| František Zoubek |  | 1922 | 1923 | West German Champion 1923 |
| Gerd Wellhöfer |  | 1923 | 1924 | Westfalen Champion 1924 |
| František Zoubek Gerd Wellhöfer | | 1924 | 1925 | Westfalen Champion 1925 |
| Gerd Wellhöfer | | 1925 | 1926 | Westfalen Champion 1926 |
| František Zoubek | | 1926 | 1933 | Westfalen Champion 1923, 1933 Westfälischer Cup Winner 1932 Qualification to the Gauliga Westfalen 1933 |
| Otto Faist | | 1933 | 1935 | Relegation from Gauliga 1934 |
| Karl Willnecker | | 1935 | 1938 | Promotion to Gauliga 1938 |
| Erich Brochmeyer | | 1938 | 1939 | |
| Ferdinand Swatosch |  | 1939 | 1940 | Vice Champion of the Gauliga |
| Otto Kranefeld[87] | | 1940 | 1942 | |
| Karl Wunderlich | | 1942 | 1945 | |
| Erich Brochmeyer | | 1945 | 1946 | Relegation to the Landesliga |
| Ferdinand Swatosch | | 1946 | 1947 | |
| Karl Wunderlich | | 1947 | 1948 | Promotion to the Landesliga |
| Alois Münstermann | | 1948 | 1949 | Promotion to the Oberliga |
| Friedrich Otto | | 1949 | 1950 | Relegation to the 2. Liga West |
| Fritz Kaiser | | 1950 | 1951 | |
| Hellmut Meidt | | 1951 | 1953 | |
| Donndorf | | 1953 | 1955 | Relegation to the Landesliga 1954 |
| Otto Westphal | | 1955 | 1958 | |
| Arthur Gruber | | 1958 | 19 March 1961 | first Coach sacking |
| Josef Rasselnberg | | 20 March 1961 | 1961 | |
| Jakob Wimmer | | 1961 | April 1963 | Promotion to the 2. Liga West 1962 |
| Hellmut Meidt | | April 1963 | 1965 | Qualification to the Regionalliga 1963 |
| Robert Gebhardt | | 1965 | 1966 | Westdeutscher Cup Winner Westfälischer Cup Winner |
| Hans Wendlandt | | 1966 | November 1969 | |
| Egon Piechaczek |  | November 1969 | December 1971 | Promotion to the Bundesliga 1970 |
| Hellmut Meidt | | January 1972 | January 1972 | |
| Jan Notermans |  | February 1972 | October 1972 | Relegation to the Regionalliga |
| Willi Nolting | | October 1972 | February 1973 | |
| Norbert Lessle | | February 1973 | September 1973 | |
| Karl-Heinz "Harry" Garstecki | | September 1973 | October 1973 | |
| Willi Nolting | | October 1973 | Januar 1974 | |
| Rudi Faßnacht | | January 1974 | 1974 | Qualification to the 2. Bundesliga Westfälischer Cup Winner |
| Erhard Ahmann | | 1974 | 1976 | |
| Karl-Heinz Feldkamp | | 1976 | 1978 | Promotion to the Bundesliga |
| Milovan Beljin | .svg) | 1978 | October 1978 | |
| Otto Rehhagel | | October 1978 | October 1979 | Relegation to the 2. Bundesliga 1978 |
| Willi Nolting | | October 1979 | October 1979 | |
| Hans-Dieter Tippenhauer | | October 1979 | September 1980 | Promotion to the Bundesliga |
| Willi Nolting | | September 1980 | December 1980 | |
| Horst Franz | | December 1980 | 1982 | |
| Horst Köppel | | 1982 | 1983 | 8th in the Bundesliga |
| Karl-Heinz Feldkamp | | 1983 | March 1984 | |
| Gerd Roggensack | | March 1984 | February 1986 | 8th in the Bundesliga 1984 Relegation to the 2. Bundesliga 1985 |
| Horst Franz | | February 1986 | November 1986 | |
| Fritz Fuchs | | November 1986 | December 1987 | |
| Joachim Krug | | December 1987 | April 1988 | |
| Ernst Middendorp | | April 1988 | October 1990 | Relegation to the Oberliga 1988 Champion of the Oberliga Westfalen 1990 |
| Franz Raschid | | October 1990 | 1991 | |
| Fritz Grösche | | 1991 | 1992 | |
| Ingo Peter | | 1 July 1992 | 1 February 1994 | |
| Theo Schneider | | 2 February 1994 | 30 June 1994 | Qualification for the Regionalliga West/Südwest |
| Wolfgang Sidka | | 1994 | September 1994 | |
| Ernst Middendorp | | September 1994 | 16 August 1998 | Promotion to the 2. Bundesliga (1995) Promotion to the Bundesliga (1996) Relegation to the 2. Bundesliga |
| Thomas von Heesen | | 17 August 1998 | 1999 | Promotion to the Bundesliga |
| Hermann Gerland | | 1999 | October 2000 | Relegation to the 2. Bundesliga |
| Benno Möhlmann | | October 2000 | 16 February 2004 | Promotion to the Bundesliga Relegation to the 2. Bundesliga |
| Thomas von Heesen | | 17 February 2004 | 29 February 2004 | |
| Uwe Rapolder | | 1 March 2004 | 10 May 2005 | Promotion to the Bundesliga |
| Frank Geideck | | 11 May 2005 | 2005 | |
| Thomas von Heesen | | 2005 | 11 February 2007 | |
| Frank Geideck | | 11 February 2007 | 13 March 2007 | |
| Ernst Middendorp | | 14 March 2007 | 9 December 2007 | |
| Detlev Dammeier | | 10 December 2007 | 31 December 2007 | |
| Michael Frontzeck | | 1 January 2008 | 17 May 2009 | |
| Jörg Berger | | 19 May 2009 | 24 June 2009 | Relegation to the 2. Bundesliga |
| Thomas Gerstner | | 24 June 2009 | 11 March 2010 | |
| Frank Eulberg &Jörg Böhme | | 11 March 2010 | 26 May 2010 | |
| Christian Ziege | | 26 May 2010 | 6 November 2010 | |
| Ewald Lienen | | 7 November 2010 | 30 June 2011 | Relegation to the 3. Liga |
| Markus von Ahlen | | 1 July 2011 | 20 September 2011 | |
| Stefan Krämer | | 21 September 2011 | 23 February 2014 | Promotion to the 2. Bundesliga |
| Norbert Meier | | 24 February 2014 | 10 June 2016 | Promotion to the 2. Bundesliga Semi-final of the DFB-Pokal (2014–15) |
| Rüdiger Rehm | | 15 June 2016 | 22 October 2016 | |
| Carsten Rump | | 23 October 2016 | 15 November 2016 | |
| Jürgen Kramny | | 15 November 2016 | 14 March 2017 | |
| Jeff Saibene |  | 19 March 2017 | 10 December 2018 | |
| Uwe Neuhaus | | 10 December 2018 | 1 March 2021 | Promotion to the Bundesliga |
| Frank Kramer | | 2 March 2021 | 20 April 2022 | |
| Marco Kostmann | | 20 April 2022 | 3 June 2022 | |
| Uli Forte |  | 3 June 2022 | 17 August 2022 | |
| Daniel Scherning | | 18 August 2022 | 7 March 2023 | |
| Uwe Koschinat | | 9 March 2023 | 30 June 2023 | Relegation to the 3. Liga |
| Michél Kniat | | 1 July 2023 | Promotion to the 2. Bundesliga Final of the DFB-Pokal (2024–25) |
Source:[88]
