Die WM-Spiele im multikulturellen Bielefeld

"Bielefeld doesn't exist," goes one of the oldest German internet jokes. I've been there twice anyway. My journey takes me from Sparrenburg Castle through the city center to the main train station and on to Kesselbrink. I encounter friendly soccer fans, warm-hearted kiosk owners, neglected corners, open drug use, and a city that oscillates between East Westphalian down-to-earthness and the familiar problems of German city centers. I visited Bielefeld twice during the World Cup. Germany lost both times. And the second visit was considerably more turbulent. What does the metropolis of East Westphalia really look like, and what first impression does one get when arriving as a stranger? A journey through a city that supposedly doesn't exist. #Migration #WorldCup2026 #Germany