Schalke vs. Nuremberg: A fan friendship like no other

Football is renowned for having some of the tensest rivalries in sport, with some games being far more than just a football match. Schalke and Nuremberg, however, break that mould completely, with the two clubs sharing a unique fan friendship - a friendship that will once more be on display when the Bundesliga 2 sides meet on Sunday.

Although nobody knows for sure how the close bond between the clubs started, the two historic teams have developed an incredibly close relationship over the years that is celebrated each time the two sides meet.

An urban legend is that the friendship began when two Nuremberg fans named Monika and Stefan met a Schalke fan named Peter on a train back in 1980 and enjoyed each other’s company so much that they agreed to continue to meet when their respective sides played nearby. Although the story is unsubstantiated, it has become an inexplicable link between the two clubs that has led to today’s bond, despite the teams being over 400 kilometres apart geographically.

The bond between the clubs is so close that Schalke/Nuremberg half-and-half scarves exist. - imago images / Zink

"The duration and intensity of the fan friendship is unique worldwide," said Nuremberg club icon Jürgen ‘Beppo’ Bergmann. The Würzburg native was Nuremberg’s fan representative for 22 years before stepping down from the position in 2023. Bergmann started going to Nuremberg games as a youngster in the late 1970s, a period when the connection between the two clubs was only just developing.

"The fascinating thing is that all fan groups are involved. For the younger generation, who weren't even born in the early 1980s, a liking of Schalke 04 is also a necessity," said Bergmann when describing the feeling amongst Nuremberg fans.

The same sentiment is shared by Schalke fans, meaning the duels between the two historic clubs regularly turn into huge parties. Before the points are at stake on Sunday, Matchday 16 of the current Bundesliga 2 campaign, there will be a joint programme of events for the supporters of both clubs to enjoy.

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When both clubs finally met again in the Bundesliga after a four-year break due to relegation in 2018, it made for a spectacular day. The entire stadium was bathed in blue, white, red and black.

This Sunday, the fans will come up with something special again – especially as it currently looks as though the clubs could go their separate ways in the summer. Schalke are top of the Bundesliga 2 table, while Nuremberg are safely mid-table.

However, the past has shown that different league affiliations cannot damage the unique connection between Schalke and Nuremberg. On the contrary, the joy of a reunion would be all the greater. The wish is, of course, that this reunion can be celebrated in the Bundesliga once more, as it was in 2018.

About the clubs

FC Schalke 04

VELTINS-Arena

1. FC Nürnberg

Max-Morlock-Stadion