Lower Saxony derby

The Lower Saxony derby ( ) usually refers to a match between the two Lower Saxonian association football clubs Hannover 96 and Eintracht Braunschweig. As of March 2026, 160 such matches have taken place: Eintracht Braunschweig won 69, Hannover 96 won 60, and 31 matches ended in a draw.

Description The cities of Hanover and Braunschweig are apart. In the media, matches of the two teams against VfL Wolfsburg and in part also against VfL Osnabrück are called Lower Saxony derbies; this view is not shared by many supporters and club officials.

History The beginnings (1905–1963) Eintracht Braunschweig was founded in 1895, Hannover 96 one year later as Hannoverscher Fußball-Club. The first match between the two teams took place in the first decade of the 1900s. Hannover 96 won the German championship in 1938 and 1954. Until the 1962–63 season, Braunschweig won 54 matches, with Hannover winning 38 matches and 14 matches ending in a draw.

Foundation of the Bundesliga in 1963: Birth of the sports rivalry After the decision to create a nationwide Bundesliga, three clubs from the Oberliga Nord were permitted to participate in the Bundesliga. Since Hamburger SV and Werder Bremen were directly admitted to the Bundesliga, only one free spot remained. Since Hannover 96 had the larger stadium, the higher average attendance and better financial prerequisites and was also ranked higher than Braunschweig in the German Football Association's twelve-year ranking, Hannover's officials were sure that they would receive the spot in the Bundesliga. Still, Braunschweig was awarded the spot on 6 May 1963, for which the only criterion was their final position in the 1962–63 season: while Hannover 96 finished in ninth place, Braunschweig had come in third. In Hanover, the decision was met with incomprehension and provoked major protests. However, the official lawsuit against the licensing was dismissed. Many see the circumstances of the Bundesliga foundation as the cause or at least as a reinforcement of the rivalry between the clubs and their supporters.

Eintracht Braunschweig won the German championship in the 1966–67 season, but lost both season matches against Hannover 96.

Present day In the recent past, the duels between Hannover and Braunschweig have become a rarity due to league affiliation. In the 1996–97 and 1997–98 seasons, when Hannover 96 was relegated to the third-tier Regionalliga, both clubs played for the championship and the promotion play-offs until the end of the season; Hannover 96 won the championship in the Regionalliga Nord both seasons. In 1998, the championship was decided through a win in the direct duel on the second-to-last matchday. A similar situation also occurred in the 2016–17 season, when Hannover was relegated to the 2. Bundesliga after 14 years in the Bundesliga and duelled Eintracht Braunschweig for a direct promotion spot until the last matchday. Hannover's win in the match against Braunschweig on the 29th matchday was co-deciding in this season. Braunschweig's last win against Hannover dates back to the 29th matchday of the 2013–14 Bundesliga season. However, the club was relegated at the end of the season, while Hannover remained in the Bundesliga.

In recent years, matches between the two clubs are always classified as high-risk matches by the police and extensive security measures are taken to contain the always massive riots of the fans during the derby.

Other Lower Saxony derbies The matches of Hannover 96 and Eintracht Braunschweig against VfL Wolfsburg are also occasionally called Lower Saxony derbies, since VfL Wolfsburg is also based in Lower Saxony and has played in the Bundesliga since 1997. However, in public perception these matches are only seen as "real" derbies to a lesser extent, since especially the fan scenes of the other two clubs do not view Wolfsburg as a "real" club that is rich in tradition. The 2017 Bundesliga promotion/relegation play-offs between Braunschweig and Wolfsburg, both cities only apart, were an exception as they were unusually charged due to the high stakes.

SV Meppen, which played in the 2. Bundesliga for a while in the 1990s, also played a few derbies against the Lower Saxonian northwestern rivals VfL Osnabrück and VfB Oldenburg as well as the then second-tier clubs Hannover 96 and Eintracht Braunschweig. Other teams that have played second-tier Lower Saxony derbies since the 1970s were Olympia Wilhelmshaven, Göttingen 05, Arminia Hannover, OSV Hannover and TSV Havelse.

Trivia Before the match in Hanover during the first half of the 2013–14 Bundesliga season, Braunschweig supporters provoked the home fans with a pig that ran through the Hanover city centre wearing a Hannover club scarf and with the number 96 painted onto its side. Also, crosses were put up in the Braunschweig area and supporters of both clubs initiated vigilante groups in front of their stadiums. Furthermore, a brewery from Braunschweig was Hannover's shirt sponsor in the 1980s. Eintracht Braunschweig supporters avoid saying the club name "Hannover 96" and also the number 96, which is replaced with "95+1".

Head-to-head

Statistics League Competition PlayedEintracht Braunschweig wins DrawsHannover 96 winsEintracht Braunschweig goalsHannover 96 goals Bundesliga22 6 8 8 30 34 2. Bundesliga20 5 4 11 14 27 2. Bundesliga Nord4 1 2 1 5 5 Oberliga Nord28 13 5 10 48 44 Regionalliga Nord4 1 1 2 4 8 League total78 26 20 32 101 118Cup DFB-Pokal2 1 0 1 3 3 DFL-Ligapokal2 2 0 0 4 2 Fußballmeisterschaft1 1 0 0 3 2 Cup total5 4 0 1 10 7 Total82 30 20 32 111 122

List of matches

League #SeasonDateCompetitionStadiumHome TeamResultAway TeamAttendanceH2H11947–48 21 September 1947Oberliga Nord Eintracht-Stadion TSV Braunschweig 5–0 Hannover –+1211 January 1948 Radrennbahn Hannover 3–1 TSV Braunschweig –031949–50 2 October 1949Oberliga Nord Radrennbahn Hannover 2–1 Braunschweig 10,000+1426 March 1950 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 3–1 Hannover 8,000051950–51 19 November 1950Oberliga Nord Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 5–2 Hannover 6,000+1628 January 1951 Radrennbahn Hannover 0–0 Braunschweig 10,000+171951–52 9 October 1951Oberliga Nord Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 3–3 Hannover 10,000+1816 March 1952 Radrennbahn Hannover 3–1 Braunschweig 8,000091953–54 6 September 1953Oberliga Nord Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 1–5 Hannover 25,000+11014 February 1954 Radrennbahn Hannover 0–2 Braunschweig 23,0000111954–55 12 December 1954Oberliga Nord Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 1–0 Hannover 25,000+11230 January 1955 Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 1–2 Braunschweig 27,000+2131955–56 11 December 1955Oberliga Nord Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 3–2 Hannover 15,000+3148 January 1956 Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 2–1 Braunschweig 18,000+2151956–57 14 October 1956Oberliga Nord Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 2–0 Braunschweig 21,000+11624 February 1957 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 0–1 Hannover 16,0000171957–58 17 November 1957Oberliga Nord Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 6–2 Braunschweig 15,000+1182 March 1958 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 2–0 Hannover 18,0000191958–59 7 December 1958Oberliga Nord Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 1–1 Braunschweig 18,00002025 January 1959 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 2–1 Hannover 15,000+1211959–60 30 August 1959Oberliga Nord Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 1–0 Hannover 30,000+2223 April 1960 Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 2–0 Braunschweig 20,000+1231960–61 18 September 1960Oberliga Nord Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 21 Braunschweig 7,0000241 April 1961 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 1–0 Hannover 6,000+1251961–62 15 October 1961Oberliga Nord Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 2–2 Hannover 16,000+1264 March 1962 Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 3–3 Braunschweig 6,500+1271962–63 14 October 1962Oberliga Nord Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 3–0 Hannover 10,000+22810 February 1963 Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 0–1 Braunschweig 12,000+3291964–65 26 September 1964Bundesliga Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 2–2 Braunschweig 57,000+33013 February 1965 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 2–2 Hannover 30,000+3311965–66 11 September 1965Bundesliga Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 2–1 Hannover 33,000+4327 April 1966 Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 1–1 Braunschweig 41,000+4331966–67 12 November 1966Bundesliga Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 4–2 Braunschweig 43,000+33429 April 1967 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 0–1 Hannover 35,000+2351967–68 14 October 1967Bundesliga Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 1–1 Braunschweig 48,000+23616 March 1968 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 0–1 Hannover 18,000+1371968–69 16 November 1968Bundesliga Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 1–1 Braunschweig 21,000+13823 May 1969 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 3–3 Hannover 13,000+1391969–70 23 August 1969Bundesliga Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 1–1 Hannover 30,000+1403 March 1970 Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 0–2 Braunschweig 22,000+2411970–71 31 October 1970Bundesliga Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 1–0 Braunschweig 22,000+1428 May 1971 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 0–4 Hannover 17,0000431971–72 1 September 1971Bundesliga Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 3–0 Hannover 26,000+14419 February 1972 Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 3–0 Braunschweig 18,0000451972–73 25 November 1972Bundesliga Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 2–1 Braunschweig 15,500+14626 May 1973 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 3–2 Hannover 30,0000471975–76 25 October 1975Bundesliga Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 3–2 Hannover 34,000+14817 April 1976 Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 2–0 Braunschweig 36,0000491980–81 26 September 19802. Bundesliga Nord Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 1–1 Braunschweig 35,00005021 April 1981 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 2–0 Hannover 20,000+1511986–87 12 September 19862. Bundesliga Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 1–0 Braunschweig 52,000+1524 April 1987 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 0–0 Hannover 26,237+1531989–90 29 July 19892. Bundesliga Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 1–0 Hannover 25,00005425 November 1989 Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 3–0 Braunschweig 25,000+1551990–91 5 September 19902. Bundesliga Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 0–1 Hannover 13,300+25628 March 1991 Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 3–0 Braunschweig 11,500+2571991–92 21 September 19912. Bundesliga Nord Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 1–3 Hannover 9,000+3588 December 1991 Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 1–1 Braunschweig 10,400+3591992–93 1 August 19922. Bundesliga Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 3–2 Hannover 12,000+26028 February 1993 Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 0–1 Braunschweig 7,600+1611996–97 30 August 1996Regionalliga Nord Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 3–2 Hannover 06212 February 1997 Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 4–0 Braunschweig –+1631997–98 9 November 1997Regionalliga Nord Niedersachsenstadion Hannover 1–1 Braunschweig –+1647 May 1998 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 0–1 Hannover +2652013–14 8 November 2013Bundesliga HDI-Arena Hannover 0–0 Braunschweig 47,200+3666 April 2014 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 3–0 Hannover 22,867+2672016–17 6 November 20162. Bundesliga Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 2–2 Hannover 23,000+26815 April 2017 HDI-Arena Hannover 1–0 Braunschweig 42,700+3692020–21 3 October 20202. Bundesliga HDI-Arena Hannover 4–1 Braunschweig 7,300+4706 February 2021 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 1–2 Hannover 0+5712022–23 10 September 20222. Bundesliga Heinz von Heiden Arena Hannover 1–1 Braunschweig 42,000+57219 March 2023 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 1–0 Hannover 20,995+4732023–24 5 November 20232. Bundesliga Heinz von Heiden Arena Hannover 2–0 Braunschweig 42,000+57414 April 2024 Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 0–0 Hannover 21,660+5752024–25 6 October 20242. Bundesliga Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 2–0 Hannover 19,919+4769 March 2025 Heinz von Heiden Arena Hannover 1–1 Braunschweig 32,100+4772025–26 26 October 20252. Bundesliga Eintracht-Stadion Braunschweig 0–3 Hannover 22,098+57821 March 2026 Heinz von Heiden Arena Hannover 1–0 Braunschweig 42,000+6

Cup