Even the most daring player of a soccer manager video game would never come up with this idea. But for VfL Sportfreunde 07, it’s true: VfL is playing internationally!

VfL Sportfreunde 07 is actually based in Essen-Rüttenscheid, where the club ranks tenth in Kreisliga B. But the club is about to embark on a real adventure. Six wins, four draws, and six losses in Kreisliga B – even the most daring player of a soccer manager video game would realize that international competition is a long way off for VfL Sportfreunde 07 from Essen.

And yet the club will soon be embarking on a big trip overseas. As the club announced, it will travel to Changzhou, Essen’s twin city, at the end of March, on the 26th to be precise. There, it will compete in the “Intercity Cup Football Championship 2026.”

“What was initially discussed as a rather unlikely idea by the board and resulted in a short-term speculative application is now becoming a reality,” according to the soccer club’s press release. “In cooperation with the city of Essen and Essen’s twin city Changzhou, the soccer players will compete in international games as special guests.”

Kreisliga B, but still: Sportfreunde are playing internationally!

The city of Changzhou has already hosted major tournaments in the past. The “Jiangsu Football City League,” which started as a local tournament, attracted a lot of attention. The final was watched by 62,329 spectators, a record for Chinese amateur soccer tournaments.

The “Intercity Cup” aims to build on this success. Eight teams will compete in the tournament, including a selection from South Korea – and VfL Sportfreunde 07. The venue will be the Changzhou Olympic Sports Center, which can accommodate 38,000 spectators.

All the players and staff will give their all to present Essen soccer in the best possible light.

Benedikt Birwe

“We are really looking forward to it. As amateur players, we could never have imagined playing in a foreign country in front of so many spectators,” says coach Benedikt Birwe, who is also excited about the trip to the Far East. “All the players and staff will give their all to present Essen soccer in the best possible light.”

The trip begins on March 26, with the first tournament game taking place on Saturday, March 28. The costs for flights, accommodation, and meals will be covered by the city of Changzhou.