Preparation, training camp, transfers – Rot-Weiss Essen has important things on the agenda during the short winter break. Here is an overview.
Rot-Weiss Essen’s success story began in January 2025 in Lara, Turkey, near Antalya. For six days, RWE prepared for their mission to stay in the league, accompanied by almost 200 Essen fans. The team took the good atmosphere and excellent conditions back with them into their everyday lives. The local club managed to turn things around, Essen celebrated staying in the league in style, and fans can now even dream of promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga.
What worked so well a year ago doesn’t need to be changed. In January 2026, Rot-Weiss Essen and its fans are expected back at the five-star “Concorde de Luxe Resort” hotel, this time as promotion candidates. Preparation for the 3rd league is short, with RWE visiting TSV 1860 Munich on January 17 (2 p.m.) for the start of the second half of the season. You can find out how things will continue for head coach Uwe Koschinat’s team in the overview here.
Start of training:
On January 3, the Essen professionals must report to their employer for the first time after a break of almost two weeks. The players will then undergo mandatory performance diagnostics. One day later (January 4), coach Koschinat will invite his team to a public training session at the training ground on Hafenstraße. After that, it should be clear which players Rot-Weiss Essen will take with them to Turkey. “The winter training camp in January this year impressed us all greatly and paved the way for sporting success in the second half of the season,” said RWE board member Alexander Rang a few months ago about the cooperation with tour operator “tssFC.” Lara near Antalya will also be Essen’s destination for the next two years. The three-year cooperation also includes a sponsorship agreement. A clever deal for the club. It will enable the first team to prepare for the second half of the season under professional conditions without incurring high financial costs. Turkey training camp: RWE board member strikes clever deal “In addition to the sporting aspects, the partnership, including the sponsorship agreement, is also an important economic and strategic decision for Rot-Weiss Essen,” explained Rang. “We are delighted to be back in Lara in January 2026. The conditions there are excellent and will once again help us prepare optimally for the second half of the season. We are also very much looking forward to spending a week with our fans. This stay will bring the team and supporters even closer together.”
RWE will be guests in Lara from January 5 to 11. At least 200 fans will be there again this time. On the penultimate day of the training camp (January 10), the club has planned a test match against a German second division team. The club will publish details of this in due course. Transfers: The dominant topic of the winter break will once again be the search for new players on the transfer market. In the winter of 2025, five new players (including Marek Janssen) were signed, so there is not as much need for action this time around. However, the club has announced through CEO Marc-Nicolai Pfeifer that it intends to be active.
Two to three new signings are possible. RWE wants to strengthen its offense. The club is on the lookout for a number 10 and a winger. Depending on availability, it cannot be ruled out that a center forward and a center back will also end up on RWE’s radar. Ideally, the new players will be signed before the trip to Turkey. After Christmas, the transfer market could therefore pick up speed. It is also possible that players who no longer play a major role will leave the club in the winter. Nils Kaiser is already in talks with Schweinfurt 05 about a transfer, while transfer disappointment Luca Bazzoli has attracted the interest of SSV Ulm.