News Focus
- SV Elversberg secure first-ever promotion to Germany’s top flight after 3-0 victory
- Coach Vincent Wagner compares achievement to landing on the moon
- Club overcame departure of key players and coaching changes to seal Bundesliga spot
- Promotion sealed for 2026/27 season following tough battle with Hannover and Paderborn
- 40-year-old manager celebrated on the pitch with fans and club mascot Paul
SV Elversberg have written a new chapter in their history books. The modest German club will compete in the Bundesliga for the first time during the 2026/27 season. This remarkable rise comes just one year after they suffered heartbreak in the promotion play-offs.
Head coach Vincent Wagner watched his side seal their place in the top tier with a comfortable 3-0 win against SC Preußen Münster. The result confirmed their promotion with games to spare. Wagner could not contain his joy as he celebrated with supporters and the club’s beloved mascot, Paul.
“This is something truly special,” the 40-year-old manager told Sky Sports. “A close friend told me this week that if Elv achieve promotion, it would feel like flying to the moon. Well, today we have successfully landed on the moon.”
The journey to the top of German football has not been easy. Last season, the club finished third in the 2. Bundesliga but lost in the play-off against 1. FC Heidenheim. That defeat meant they missed out on a place in the elite division.
Since that disappointment, the club has faced major changes. Long-serving manager Horst Steffen departed to take charge of Werder Bremen. Steffen had guided the team from the fourth tier in 2021/22 through back-to-back promotions. However, the Bundesliga side dismissed him in February.
Wagner arrived from TSG Hoffenheim II last summer. He took over a squad that was losing its best talent. Top scorers Fisnik Asllani and Muhammed Damar saw their loan spells end and returned to Hoffenheim. Star midfielder Robin Fellhauer moved to FC Augsburg. In January, the league’s leading goal scorer Younes Ebnoutalib joined Eintracht Frankfurt. Sporting director Nils-Ole Book also left, accepting a similar position at Borussia Dortmund.
Despite these setbacks, Wagner rebuilt the team. They fought off strong competition from SC Paderborn and Hannover 96 to secure automatic promotion. The manager admitted he had felt nervous in the build-up to the decisive match.
“I have felt anxious for the past two days,” Wagner said. The team had suffered a defeat against Fortuna Düsseldorf the previous week. “We learned our lessons from that loss. Today, we showed a much better performance in front of our fans.”
The coach revealed he first discussed promotion possibilities with his wife three weeks ago. This conversation took place after FC Schalke 04 confirmed their own top-flight status. Now, Wagner and his players can prepare for life among Germany’s footballing elite.