Passau is crowned Bavarian football champion for the eighth time!

Passau is crowned Bavarian football champion for the eighth time!

Passau has done it again! The team from the Diocese of Passau won the Bavarian Pastoral Football Championship on June 25, 2025, thus clinching its eighth title. This puts Passau at the top of the success table, stronger than all other dioceses in Bavaria. In a thrilling final held at the Munich stadium, the team beat the selection from Regensburg, with the decision being decided in a dramatic penalty shootout, much like last year when they also won the championship, as domradio.de reports.

The competition is one of the highlights in the Bavarian football calendar and was held for the 31st time. This year the tournament was under the sign of solidarity with those affected by floods in the region. It is impressive to see how sport and social cohesion can go hand in hand.

On the lawn and into hearts

In the final, nerves seemed to be fraying, but substitute goalkeeper Burkhard Pechtl, on loan from the Diocese of Würzburg, put in a strong performance and saved two crucial penalties. This was particularly notable as original goalkeeper Tim Seidler was unable to attend due to his volunteer work during the Bavarian Red Cross flood. Würzburg Bishop Franz Jung presented the trophy and spoke in his speech about the importance of cohesion and support among the dioceses, which gave the entire event an emotional note, reports bistum-passau.de.

The Passau team is made up of various members, including parish priests, diocesan representatives and other committed employees. Particularly worth mentioning are: Pastor Peter Kunz, the DJK diocesan chairman Siegfried Kapfer and training manager Herbert Simböck. Together they not only shone on the pitch, but also showed what team spirit means.

Yesterday, today and tomorrow

Passau's success is not only a sign of football talent, but also of a long tradition in the diocese. Founded in 739 by Boniface, the diocese was once considered the largest in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. The territories extended downstream from the Danube to Vienna. Over time, however, the diocese lost large areas due to the establishment of new dioceses, such as Linz, Sankt Pölten and Vienna. Since secularization in 1803, the secular rule of the Passau bishops ended, but the people and their faith remained strongly connected.

The title defense is already just around the corner, because the next tournament will take place on June 23, 2025 in the Archdiocese of Munich-Freising. Passau definitely has a place on the list of favorites. In the current championship, the diocese has already proven its goal difference of 21:2, which the team achieved in the last games, as katholisch.de reports.

With such a strong team spirit and the impressive history of its diocese, Passau is not only a champion on the football field, but also a shining example of solidarity and community.