Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896 , commonly referred to as Hannover 96 ( IPA: [haˈnoːfɐ ˌzɛksʔʊntˈnɔʏntsɪç] ), is a German professional sports club based in Hanover , the capital of Lower Saxony . Its senior men's football team competes in the 2. Bundesliga , the second tier of German football , after spending 30 seasons in the top-flight Bundesliga between 1964 and 2019. Founded on 12 April 1896, the multi-sport association has more than 22,000 members, making it the largest in Lower Saxony.
