1. FC Union Berlin is one of German football’s most unique, cult-followed, and fan-driven institutions, based in Köpenick, East Berlin. Universally known as "Eiserne" (The Iron Ones), the club competes in the Bundesliga and plays its home matches at the historic 22,000-capacity Stadion An der Alten Försterei, famous for its standing-room terraces and fan-built structure.
Tracing its roots back to FC Olympia Oberschöneweide in 1906 before officially re-establishing as 1. FC Union Berlin in 1966, the club traditionally plays in red and white kits. Operating under East German (GDR) football governance, Union developed a fierce working-class anti-establishment culture, capturing the FDGB-Pokal (East German Cup) in 1968.
Union's modern rise is a celebrated underdog story in European sports. After surviving severe financial crises through fan blood donations and volunteer stadium labor, Union earned historic promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in 2019 under Urs Fischer. The club executed an astonishing European progression—advancing from UEFA Conference League to UEFA Europa League, culminating in a historic top-four Bundesliga finish in 2023 to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
Union maintains intense historical and local rivalries, most notably the fierce East Berlin local derby against BFC Dynamo, alongside the high-stakes cross-town Berlin Derby against Hertha BSC.
Berlin (Germany)
