1. FC Köln Colors, Facts and History

1. FC Köln history

Two local sides, SpVgg Sülz 07 and Kölner BC 01, joined forces in 1948 to create the club, which is why the full name carries both 01 and 07. English speakers often say FC Cologne. When the Bundesliga launched in 1963, Köln was a founding member, and it won the very first title the following season.

The best eras came in the 1960s and 1980s, delivering three national championships and four DFB-Pokals, including a league and cup double in 1978. A slide from the 1990s on turned Köln into a yo-yo club bouncing between the top two levels, and the 2010s brought a revival with European football and steadier finances. The latest return came after winning the 2. Bundesliga in 2024-25. Fans call the team Die Geißböcke, or The Billy Goats, after Hennes, a live goat named for Hennes Weisweiler, who both played for and managed Köln. The original Hennes arrived as a carnival joke from a circus owner.

Did you know?

• Hennes IX became Köln's goat mascot on 1 August 2019, after Hennes VIII retired.
• Köln won the inaugural Bundesliga title in the league's first season.
• Locals often just call the club FC, a nickname that fits its name neatly.