Sports, health clubs, and spectator sports in Frankfurt Rhine-Main

As is true of most nations, more people in Germany tend to be fascinated by sports than there are active participants. Armchair experts abound, with the airwaves full of sports shows, sports reports and live broadcasts of sporting events. Yet there are countless active players. In fact, the German Football Association DFB has no less than seven million members, makingit the largest sports club in the world – and it is based in Frankfurt. Befitting for the nation that has won the coveted World Cup championship four times.

Football fever also spreads in Frankfurt when the local first-division side Eintracht Frankfurt plays – at the Commerzbank Arena situated between downtown and the airport. Frankfurt is likewise home to a first division women’s football side 1. FFC Frankfurt, which comes under the wing of the Eintracht sports club,and to FSV Frankfurt, a third division men’s side. Darmstadt and Wiesbaden both have strong 2nd division sides. So if you like football, there’s plenty to watch – or take part in. After all, it’s worth remembering that sports enjoy a social value over and above its own virtues: Discussing sports is a good way to quickly integrate yourself into German society. Your colleagues in the office or the factory will often warm up to you faster if you display a working knowledge of the major sports events of the day...

If football is not your cup of tea, you certainly won’t be left out in the cold sportswise in Frankfurt Rhine-Main. After all, have you ever wondered why Germans repeatedly excel in international sporting events? One of the reasons is the great organized network of clubs that offers a wide range of activities at reasonable prices to everyone. Sports cut across social and occupational strata and joining a sports club in Germany is therefore a great way to make contact with people from all walks of life in a fun atmosphere.

The range of sports offered by these non-profit clubs is enormous – soccer, tennis, horseback riding, track and field, aerobics, swimming and, increasingly, international sports such as baseball, rugby and even American football. Fitness centers are a prominent part of the German landscape, and tennis and squash courts are available in many areas. As with all things, size and range of availability depends on where you live; small towns are often short on both size and availability.Many clubs allow you to work out several times before formally committing to a membership. Frankfurt’s largest sports clubs is the Turngemeinde Bornheim, founded in 1860 and locatedin the northeastern neighborhood of Bornheim. It offers the traditional array of sports including hockey, football, golf, gymnastics, soccer, handball, basketball, weightlifting and swimming. Or you can also lean toward the wilder side, with activities such as Qi Gong, oriental dance, aquarobics for seniors, and even accordion lessons.

Membership fees vary greatly, depending on the type of sport, the size of the club and the quality of the facilities. But as a general guideline, individual memberships cost between € 100 – 250 per year – with discounts for students and children – a worthwhile investment. Family memberships are usually a good deal ... much cheaper than several individual memberships. It is important to note that once you become a registered member of a German sports club, you are automatically insured under that club’s policy should you become injured.

Below is a listing of several of the larger sports clubs in Frankfurt: For a full listing of the sports clubs available in your region, contact the local sports office (Sportamt) in the city or county government. In addition, the Sports Association of Hessen (Landessportbund Hessen) can provide you with more information about sports clubs throughout the state.

www.landessportbund-hessen.de
www.sportkreis-frankfurt.de
www.mainova-sport.de