Pop star Tim Bendzko will sing the German national anthem before champions FC Bayern Munich kick off the 2016/17 Bundesliga season at home to SV Werder Bremen on Friday evening (Kick-off at 20.30 CET).

The 54th Bundesliga season opens with global interest, with no fewer than 210 FIFA member countries tuning into the opening matchday. In Germany the game will be broadcast on Sky and ARD.

There will also be a first for the coverage of the Bundesliga, with international partner FOX Sports broadcasting the game in most of its territories in virtual reality. The production is supported by Sky Germany for testing purposes.

The new Bundesliga season has traditionally opened with the national anthem. This year, Bendzko will perform the anthem before kick-off at the Allianz Arena in Munich. The successful singer and songwriter, winner of the 2011 Bundesvision Song Contest, is a huge fan of football and the Bundesliga in particular. The popular 31-year-old’s new single “Keine Maschine [No Machine]” will be released on September 2, 2016 alongside the song “Nur noch kurz die Welt retten [Quickly Saving the World]”.

(Bundesliga Press Release)