Borussia Dortmund Colors, Facts and History

Borussia Dortmund history

Eighteen local footballers started the club in 1909, and the nickname Die Schwarzgelben (The Black and Yellow) comes from the colors on the crest. Most fans abroad just say Dortmund, while Germans often use the initials BVB. The full name, Ballspielverein Borussia 09, hides the founding year in plain sight. The arena, first called the Westfalenstadion, has staged home games since 1974 and ranks as the biggest in Germany.

Its south stand holds the Yellow Wall, a standing terrace that no other in Europe matches for size, and the club pulls the highest average crowd of any football team anywhere. Membership sits near 218,000, second only to Bayern Munich at home and fifth worldwide. On the trophy shelf: eight German league crowns, six DFL-Supercups and five DFB-Pokals, plus the 1997 Champions League and the 1966 Cup Winners' Cup. The big dates on the calendar are the Revierderby against Schalke 04 and Der Klassiker with Bayern.

Did you know?

• Only one German club has collected more major honors than Borussia Dortmund.
• Beyond men's football, the Dortmund club also runs a women's handball team.
• The Intercontinental Cup sits alongside the Champions League among Dortmund's international prizes.