Editing Cologne (section)

==Sports==
[[File:FIFA WM06 Stadion Koeln.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.05|RheinEnergieStadion is the stadium of 2. Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln.]]
Cologne hosts the football club [[1. FC Köln]],<ref name="Colognesports">{{cite web|title=Sport and relaxation|url=http://www.cologne.de/what-to-do/sport-and-relaxation.html|publisher=Cologne Tourist Information|access-date=13 March 2013|archive-date=4 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404222620/http://www.cologne.de/what-to-do/sport-and-relaxation.html|url-status=live}}</ref> who play currently in the [[Bundesliga|2. Bundesliga]] (second division). They play their home matches in [[RheinEnergieStadion]] which also hosted five matches of the [[2006 FIFA World Cup]].<ref name="Kölnstadion">{{cite web|title=The RheinEnergie Stadium|url=http://www.fc-koeln.de/en/club/stadium/|publisher=[[1. FC Köln]]|access-date=20 April 2011|archive-date=17 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110317160925/http://www.fc-koeln.de/en/club/stadium/|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[International Olympic Committee]] and the [[Internationale Vereinigung Sport- und Freizeiteinrichtungen|International Association of Sports and Leisure Facilities]] gave RheinEnergieStadion a bronze medal for "being one of the best sporting venues in the world".<ref name="Kölnstadion"/> The city also hosts the two football clubs [[FC Viktoria Köln]] and [[SC Fortuna Köln]], who play in the [[3. Liga]] (third division) and the [[Regionalliga West]] (fourth division) respectively. Cologne's oldest football club [[1. FSV Köln 1899]] is playing with its amateur team in the [[Verbandsliga]] (sixth division).

Cologne also is home of the ice hockey team [[Kölner Haie]], which is playing in the highest [[ice hockey]] league in Germany, the [[Deutsche Eishockey Liga]].<ref name="Colognesports"/> They are based at [[Lanxess Arena]].<ref name="Colognesports"/>

Several horse races per year are held at [[Cologne-Weidenpesch Racecourse]] since 1897, the annual [[Cologne Marathon]] was started in 1997 and the classic cycling race [[Rund um Köln]] is organised in Cologne since 1908. The city also has a long tradition in [[rowing (sport)|rowing]], being home of some of Germany's oldest regatta courses and boat clubs, such as the [[Kölner Rudergesellschaft 1891]] or the [[Kölner Ruderverein von 1877]] in the [[Rodenkirchen]] district.

Japanese automotive manufacturer [[Toyota]] has their major [[motorsport]] facility known by the name [[Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe|Toyota Motorsport GmbH]], which is located in the Marsdorf district, and is responsible for Toyota's major motorsport development and operations, which in the past included the [[Formula One|FIA Formula One World Championship]], the [[World Rally Championship|FIA World Rally Championship]] and the [[European Le Mans Series|Le Mans Series]]. They are working on Toyota's team [[Toyota Gazoo Racing]] which competes in the [[FIA World Endurance Championship]].

Cologne is considered "the secret golf capital of Germany".<ref name="Colognesports"/> The first golf club in [[North Rhine-Westphalia]] was founded in Cologne in 1906.<ref name="Colognesports"/> The city offers the most options and top events in Germany.<ref name="Colognesports"/>

The city has hosted several athletic events which includes the [[2005 FIFA Confederations Cup]], 2006 FIFA World Cup, [[2007 World Men's Handball Championship]], [[2010 IIHF World Championship|2010]] and [[2017 IIHF World Championship|2017 Ice Hockey World Championships]], [[2024 FIFA European Championship]] and [[2010 Gay Games]].<ref name="Facts and figures"/>

Since 2014, the city has hosted [[ESL One Cologne (disambiguation)|ESL One Cologne]]<!--Intentional link to DAB page-->, one of the biggest [[Counter-Strike: Global Offensive|CS GO]] tournaments held annually in July/August at [[Lanxess Arena]].

Furthermore, Cologne is home of the [[SC Colonia 06|Sport-Club Colonia 1906]], Germany's oldest boxing club, and the [[Kölner Athleten-Club 1882]], the world's oldest active weightlifting club.