1. FC Köln celebrates it 68th birthday on February 13, 2016. This will be the ninth time FC plays a competitive match on its birthday.

1. FC Köln will celebrate its 68th birthday by hosting Eintracht Frankfurt for the “Topspiel” of Matchday 21. Half of the eight competitive matches that fell on the 13th of February since 1948 went in favor of FC. One match resulted in a draw, with the remaining three ending in defeat. The Glory Years

Exactly one year following the founding of the club was the first ever birthday match: against VfB Lechenich. Just like a good guest would, the visitors left the three points in Cologne. What they took home with them were 5 conceded goals. The big win set the mood for FC to hold the club’s first ever Karnevalssitzung just one day later.

It took six years for the next birthday match to take place, and this time the opponent was VfL Bochum. FC won 1-0 and took home a critical three points in a season in which the team flirted with the relegation zone. The first birthday defeat took place ten years later when FC were reigning champions following the establishment of the Bundesliga. The 1-2 home defeat to Meidericher SV was one of six defeats that season, which resulted in FC ending as runner -up to Werder Bremen.

In 1971 1. FC Köln played their first ever birthday match on the road. VfB Stuttgart took the early lead, but goals from Wolfgang Overath and Thomas Parits helped turn the game and secure the 2-1 win for FC. The early 1970s were also one of the strongest phases for the club in terms of runs in the DFB Cup. Between 1970 and 1973 the club reached three finals and one semi-final. A New Era

In a span of 16 years Hamburger SV was the so-called back-to-back birthday opponent. In the 1982 matchup both sides scored a penalty to end the match 1-1 and split the points. However, in the year of the 50th anniversary of the club, everything went sour. The 1-2 birthday loss was a hiccup in comparison to what was to come. The season ended with the inconceivable result: relegation to the 2. Bundesliga.