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

As in most countries, there are more people in Germany who are fascinated by sport than those who play it. There are plenty of armchair experts, and the airwaves are full of sports shows, sports reports and live broadcasts of sporting events. But there are also countless active players. In fact, the German Football Association (DFB) has no less than seven million members, making it the largest sports association in the world - and it is based in Frankfurt. Fitting for a nation that has won the coveted World Cup four times.

Football fever also spreads in Frankfurt when local first division team Eintracht Frankfurt play at the Commerzbank Arena, located between the city centre and the airport. Frankfurt is also home to a first division women’s football team, 1. FFC Frankfurt, which is part of the Eintracht sports club, and FSV Frankfurt, a regional league men’s team. Eintracht Frankfurt plays in the first division and Darmstadt has a strong 2nd division team. So if you like football, there’s plenty to watch - or take part in. After all, it’s worth remembering that sport has a social value beyond its own virtues: Talking about sport is a good way to quickly integrate yourself into German society. Your colleagues in the office or at the factory will often warm up to you more quickly if you can show that you have a good knowledge of the major sporting events of the day...

If football isn’t your thing, you won’t be left out in the cold in Frankfurt Rhine-Main. After all, have you ever wondered why Germans always excel at international sporting events? One of the reasons is the well-organised network of clubs that offers a wide range of activities at reasonable prices for everyone. Sport cuts across all social and occupational classes, and joining a sports club in Germany is a great way to meet people from all walks of life in a fun atmosphere.

The range of sports offered by these non-profit clubs is enormous - football, tennis, horse riding, athletics, aerobics, swimming and, increasingly, international sports such as baseball, rugby and even American football. Fitness centres are a prominent feature of the German landscape, and tennis and squash courts are available in many areas. As with all things, size and availability depend on where you live; small towns are often lacking in both size and availability, and many clubs allow you to try out several times before formally committing to a membership. Frankfurt’s largest sports club is the Turngemeinde Bornheim, founded in 1860 and located in the north-eastern district of Bornheim. It offers the traditional range of sports, including hockey, football, golf, gymnastics, football, handball, basketball, weightlifting and swimming. Or get a little more adventurous with activities such as qi gong, oriental dance, aqua aerobics 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 and €250 a year - with discounts for students and children - and are well worth the 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 the club’s policy in the event of injury.

Below is a list of some of the larger sports clubs in Frankfurt: For a full list of sports clubs in your area, contact the local sports office of your town or district council. You can also contact the Landessportbund Hessen for more information about sports clubs throughout the state.

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