Sport

Sport is a good opportunity for getting to know others. Due to a low language barrier, the integration potential of sport is particularly high. Mutual fairness promotes common respect. Contacts and networks are often established that extend beyond sport. Through sport one can also deepen their German language skills. In Dresden, there are various sports clubs and sports groups, whose members meet regularly to practice together. The meetings are at the same place in regular intervals and mostly at a fixed time.

Do you have questions about sports or a club membership? The Dresden Sports Association (Stadtsportbund Dresden e. V.) is able to help. They can be contacted via the phone or personally. If your German is not good enough yet for such conversations, feel free to bring an interpreter.

Integration through sport

The German Olympic Sports Confederation (der Deutsche Olympische Sportbund) has a program named “Integration durch Sport” (“Integration through Sport”). Through this project, sports clubs should better integrate newly immigrated People. To read more about the project, please click here:

In addition, there is the "Förderung der Integration von Flüchtlingen durch Sport" program financed by the Free State of Saxony.

Here you will find an overview of the Clubs.

Rugby

If you are a keen rugby or cricket player, you should contact the Dresden Rugby Club. Information about training times and tournaments can be found here:

Chess

If you like to play chess, you can contact the Chess Club Dresden Striesen. All informations are in German.

Football

Are you or your children particularly interested in football? Then you can get an overview of football clubs in Dresden in the following link. The information is mostly in German:

You can find other active football clubs here:

Ball sports, gymnastics and martial arts

If you are interested in various ball sports (badminton, volleyball, football), gymnastics or martial arts, you can contact the following clubs. All information is in German:

Kung Fu and Qi Gong

Are you interested in Chinese culture and want to get to know Kung Fu or Qi Gong? Then you are right here:

Dancing

There are also numerous dance programmes for different dance styles in Dresden. Here you can find some of these offers:

"The Dance and Theatre Programme" of the Volkshochschule in Drseden:

Clubs and initiatives with sports offers by and for new immigrants

Some organisers of sporting events are particularly happy about the participation of new immigrants. Various clubs of new immigrants also organise sporting activities.

There is also the voluntary initiative " Open football club", which is organised by the association "Willkommen in Löbtau e.V.". You can find all the information here:

Sports offers specially for refugees

There are several groups in Dresden that specifically seek contact with refugees through sport. In addition to joint activities, the main focus is on socialising and getting to know each other.

Afeefa.de is a multilingual website on which various offers are marked on a map of Dresden. From language lessons and counselling to joint leisure activities, there is a lot on offer. Sporting activities range from football, rugby and ultimate frisbee to jogging along the Elbe. The page is updated regularly. You can click on the respective symbols. Further information and contact details will then be displayed. The site is available in seven different languages and can be found here:

Sports offers for women and girls

Unfortunately newly immigrated girls and young women use sporting offers in Dresden relatively rarely. This applies particularly to Muslim girls and women. However, some clubs in Dresden offer women the opportunity to play sports in a protected environment. These courses are headed by women and only women are allowed to participate.

Dresden Foreign Council (Ausländerrat) – Bicycle course

In cooperation with the Dresden Police Department (Polizeidirektion Dresden) and Road Safety Association (Verein Verkehrswacht), a bicycle course is offered once a year to immigrant women. The course covers the theory and practice of cycling and results in the issuing of a bicycle licence (Fahrradpass). 

The next cycling course will take place from 24-28 July 2024 in Dresden-Gorbitz and includes the following (participation fee of €10):

- Introduction to the most important traffic rules in Germany
- Practising on a practice area in a protected atmosphere
- Bicycles are available for practising
- Each woman receives a bicycle helmet
- Support from policewomen from the Dresden police headquarters

Registration:
Phone: 0176 96 97 06 96
E-mail: grossmann@auslaenderrat.de

Dresden Foreign Council (Ausländerrat) – Swim course

There is a swimming course for Muslim women in co-operation with Dresdner Bäder GmbH. The next swimming course is expected to take place in August 2024. 

For further information about the swimming course, please contact the following E-mail address: 

 E-mail: rezai@auslaenderrat.de

Cultural Meetings in Johannstadt (Johannstädter Kulturtreff)

For providing a good feeling through movement and as an opportunity for meeting others, the Women’s Meeting (Frauentreff) of the Dresden Foreign Council (Ausländerrat Dresden e. V.) offers in cooperation with the Registered Association of Cultural Meetings in Johannstadt (Johannstädter Kulturtreff e. V.) a movement course for women. Through regular exercise women strengthen their physical fitness and body awareness. In small groups of up to 10 to 15 participants, women are guided by a sports instructor to move and exercise their bodies. There should also be enough space to get to know each other and engage in dialogue during the joint training. German, English, Spanish and Russian are spoken at the course. Information on this and on other courses for women can be found here:

There are facilities in Dresden where one can practice club sports without acquiring a membership. Mostly such places charge an entrance fee or one must pay for the use of a place for a particular time. Initiatives like “Walking People” are for free and can be used at any time. The opening times of other facilities can be found on their respective websites.

Swim halls

The holders of a Dresden-Pass can visit the swimming pools in the city for a discounted Price.

Walking People

The initiative „Walking People” has identified routes in Dresden where one can walk or run well at any time of day and for free.

Sportpark Ostra

The Ostra sports park is an area in the south-west of Dresden. It has sports grounds which can be rented out or used by clubs. Also, in the summer the area is perfect for playing Volleyball.

Energieverbund Arena

In winter, one can skate at the "Energie Verbund Arena" in Dresden. Also, there are regular games and events held at the ice Arena.

If you are a member of a club, participation in sporting events and other activities is insured through the club. This means that in the event of an accident or injury, the club's insurance will pay for the damage or treatment.

As people in the asylum process usually do not know how long they will be in one place, club membership is often out of the question. To solve this problem, the Saxony State Sports Association has introduced a new regulation. This means that asylum seekers and tolerated persons are insured even without membership if they take part in events organised by a sports club.

Participation in a sports event or an outing or training session does not have to be registered in advance. In the event of an accident or damage, it is sufficient to report this using the normal form. The prerequisite is that the club is a member of the "Landessportbund Sachsen". Almost all clubs in Dresden are members. Here you can see the form for a damage or accident report:

If you want to take part in regular training sessions and events, you can become a member of a club. This is compulsory in most clubs. This obligation does not apply to asylum seekers and tolerated persons (see "Insurance and membership in clubs"). Many clubs offer the opportunity to try out a programme before becoming a member (trial training). People who have a low income can get support from various places:

Dresden-Pass

The Dresden-Pass can be used at sports facilities and swimming pools of Dresden for getting a discount off the admission or ticket.

Education and participation benefits

Financial support is available for children, youngsters and young adults from least privileged families. This kind of support is covered by an education and participation benefit. The aim of it is to enable people with little money to a simpler social and cultural participation. In case of sports, for example, the cost of a membership in a club could be partly covered.

On the following page on the "education package" you will find all the important information on "benefits for education and participation" under "How do I apply for the education package?" Here is the link:

You can apply to the job centre or social welfare office to have the costs of sports club memberships covered. You can find the relevant forms here:

Possibilities for financial aid by the Dresden Foreign Council (Ausländerrat Dresden e. V.)

The Registered Association of Dresden Foreign Council (Ausländerrat Dresden e. V.) provides counselling for newly immigrated people. The employees help people find sports that match with their needs and interests. The council also gives advice when help is needed for paying the membership fee. The council can also mediate contacts to other organisations that could help.

Prevention and health courses

Many statutory and some private health insurance companies offer so-called vouchers for preventive health courses. With a voucher, you can enrol in courses on various topics, such as nutrition, stress management or exercise. On the subject of exercise, you will find yoga courses, back exercises or special courses for weight loss. The costs of these courses are covered in full or in part by your health insurance company. Please contact your health insurance provider for all the details on "Prevention and health courses". Here you will find a list of certified prevention courses currently offered in Dresden. You are welcome to enquire about registration and costs reimbursement options with your health insurance company:

Practicing a sport often also requires the availability of appropriate equipments. Which kinds of clothes are suitable for a particular sport is best to ask from the relevant trainers or course managers.

In addition to sports shops one can also turn to second hand shops or flea markets in Dresden. One can often find necessary equipment there for much lower prices.

Specialised sports equipment (gloves, balls, etc.) can be found second-hand in classified ad portals. These can be searched for on the Internet using the keyword "online classified ads Dresden" in German „online kleinanzeigen Dresden“

Flea markets in Dresden

On the following page you will find the current dates for flea markets in Dresden:

Second Hand shops for grownups

If you receive one of the following benefits :Citizen's income (Bürgergeld), basic income support, asylum seeker benefits, possibly housing benefit recipients, have a Dresden Pass or a BAföG certificate (for students), you can also contact the social department stores in Dresden. You can find more information here: