Mainz 05 Colors, Facts and History

Mainz 05 history

Founded in 1905 in Mainz, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, the club has a long formal name that starts with 1. Fußball- und Sport-Verein. That mouthful gets trimmed to 1. FSV Mainz 05 or just Mainz 05, and the 05 is a simple tag for the founding year.

The team's current spell in the Bundesliga started with promotion ahead of the 2009-10 season, so Mainz have been a fixture in Germany's top division for many years now. Two nearby clubs count as the main local rivals: Kaiserslautern and Eintracht Frankfurt. Football is the headline act, but it is not the only sport under the club's roof. Mainz 05 also has departments for handball and table tennis, which makes it a true multi-sport club rather than a football-only operation. Home games take place at the MEWA Arena, a stadium with a capacity of 33,305.

Did you know?

• The 05 in Mainz 05 refers to 1905, the year the club began.
• Mainz most recently won promotion to the Bundesliga before the 2009-10 season.
• Handball and table tennis are part of the Mainz 05 club alongside football.