2. Bundesliga
Holstein Kiel are on their way back to Germany following a 10-day training camp in the USA.
Kiel set up camp in the city of Minneapolis, where they trained for the 2025/26 campaign. They played a friendly match on 7 July against local outfit Minnesota United, with the game ending in a goalless draw.
"This trip is a great opportunity to present German football and Holstein Kiel, particularly to the United States, with a year until the start of the 2026 [FIFA] World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico," said former Kiel sporting director Carsten Wehlmann following confirmation of the tour at the start of 2025.
"We would like to take this opportunity to thank the DFL and our agency Match IQ [for organising the trip]."
As well as the Minnesota Utd fixture, Kiel's first team played against two sides from the U.S outfit's academy on 1 July. They went on a boat tour to mark 4 July and also visited the NFL's Minnesota Vikings, as well as a local German immersion school, before flying home on 9 July.
A Kiel outfit boasting US international full-back John Tolkin were relegated at the end of their first ever season in the Bundesliga, after finishing seven points adrift of outright safety. They begin life back in Bundesliga 2 on the weekend beginning 1 August.
Bundesliga duo Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund were stateside for the revamped FIFA Club World Cup, while Eintracht Frankfurt will travel to Louisville, Kentucky for a pre-season training camp from 22 July to 3 August.
Recap Kiel's US tour below:
What do you make of Engelhardt's ceremonial first pitch?
Kiel were put through their paces on Sunday as they prepared for the friendly with Minnesota United on Monday, going through an intensive warm-up followed by game-like exercises.
With the 4th July boat trip and visit to the Mall of America, it has been a busy weekend after training for Kiel's players.
After enjoying a boat trip and the Independence day fireworks, Rapp's Kiel side kicked off day seven with an intense warm-up session on the training grounds of Minnesota United FC, ahead of the scheduled July 7 friendly between the two teams.
The Kiel team will get to experience the 4 July festivities later. They're set to mark the occasion with a boat tour.
Kiel's Goal Machino was in good form in training on Friday morning. Holstein fans will be delighted he's not been picked up by another side, after the Japan forward struck a team-leading 11 times in the Bundesliga last season.
The Kiel squad returned to training on Thursday after a quieter Wednesday, and they were joined by Jonas and Thorsti, two Kiel supporters who have made the trip from Germany to the U.S.A for the training camp. "At some point, the idea came up to support Holstein at the training camp as well. This is a great opportunity to meet players and those in charge," the latter explained.
Alexander Bernhardsson, who registered seven goals and three assists in the Bundesliga last season, has shared his impressions of Kiel's pre-season training camp. It's fair to say he's loving every minute of the experience...
German goalkeeper Jonas Krumrey, 21, has linked up with his new teammates in Minnesota after completing a move from Red Bull Salzburg. The former Bayern Munich youngster, who spent last season on loan at Danish side Lyngby, has signed a two-year deal.
Relive all of the goals from the Japanese forward who lit up the Bundesliga last season ahead of Kiel's friendly match against Minnesota United on 7 July...
Get your calendars out Kiel fans, these are the dates you need to stay on top of, for the tour of the States: June 29 to July 9: Training camp in Minnesota Tuesday, July 8 at 2am CEST: Friendly against Minnesota United FC
The Storks return from their US tour at the end of July to prepare for the start of the season in which the opening weekend sees them face Paderborn away from home meanwhile last season's Pokal finalists Arminia Bielefeld will be the first visitors at the Holstein Stadion.
Ahead of their trip to the States, the Storks launched their new home and away kits with an interesting design on the front which incorporates several key aspects of the Kiel region - an outline of the Kiel Fjord as well as the Kiel Canal, the Schwentine River, and the Kleiner Kiel River, which are the region's other prominent bodies of water, were also incorporated. Furthermore, a small star west of the Kiel Fjord marks the location of the Holstein Stadium.
Holstein are representing Germany's second division in the USA this summer as they embark on a pre-season tour to Minnesota ahead of the 2025/26 Bundesliga 2 campaign. Marcel Rapp's men cross the Atlantic on 29 June for a 10-day American adventure, which includes a friendly match against Minnesota United on 7 July. Stay tuned here for all the latest updates from the Kiel squad on tour.