News blog about 1. FC Cologne
Top talent extends his contract with FC – other youngsters should follow
Updated March 26, 2026 – 5:08 p.mReading time: 30 minutes
1. FC Köln is fighting to stay in the Bundesliga. In the news blog on t-online you will find all the important news about the Geißbockheim.
Thursday March 26, 2026
The 1. FC Cologne has extended the contract with U19 talent Benjamin Ley long-term and also wants to retain other talents at Geißbockheim. Ley, who was born in Berlin, has been involved in the youth teams at the FC Academy since he was seven years old. In November 2025, the 17-year-old was one of three Cologne players who took part in the U17 World Cup.
“I am very happy about the trust of those responsible and would like to thank everyone who has accompanied me on my journey to this point. Today is a big dream for me coming true,” said Ley. He is pleased to have “extended his contract with my hometown club, which I have loved since I can remember.” And Ley also wants to mature into a professional at this club: “I will continue to work hard on my dream of playing in front of 50,000 fans in the Rheinenergiestadion.”
This also applies to the two youngsters David Fürst and Thierry Karadeniz. Fürst is currently being watched by several Italian clubs after he was one of Cologne’s best players in the Youth League against Inter Milan. Karadeniz, meanwhile, enjoys great appreciation in Turkey and was recently referred to in the media there as the “Turkish Mbappé”.
Right-back Fürst and winger Karadeniz are also expected to extend long-term contracts with FC. Their contracts currently expire in summer 2026.
Due to the use of pyrotechnic objects in the home game against FC Bayern Munich, the DFB has sentenced 1. FC Cologne to a fine of 220,000 euros. At least 100 Bengal fires and ten smoke devices are said to have been lit during the Bundesliga game on January 14th.
Each pyrotechnic item is penalized with 1,000 euros. Since the game was interrupted for more than five minutes due to smoke, the 110,000 euros will be doubled to 220,000 euros in accordance with DFB regulations. In total, the DFB has already imposed 16 penalties against the Billy Goats this season due to fan misconduct. The complete sum amounts to 586,000 euros.
