DFL publishes fixture list: Bochum host Hertha to open second-division season

It had already been announced as part of the "Bundesliga City Challenge" that FC Bayern München would open the 64th Bundesliga season against VfB Stuttgart on 28 August. It was also already confirmed that Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund would meet on 12 September. The DFL had additionally already named VfL Bochum and Hertha BSC as the participants in the opening 2. Bundesliga fixture.

The 2. Bundesliga kickoff

The "Bundesliga City Challenge" was used by the DFL to reveal fixture information in advance. "Bei der ‚Bundesliga City Challenge' werden Lösungen zu den ausgewählten Spielen in Umschlägen verborgen, die an jeweils geheimen Standorten in den betroffenen Städten entdeckt werden können", the DFL said.

The Bundesliga kickoff

The second-division season begins this year three weeks earlier than usual, on 7 August. That makes the fixture a repeat of last season's DFB-Pokal final, which the Munich side won 3:0. The match will be broadcast by pay-TV channel Sky and on free-to-air television by Sat.1.

VfL Bochum host Hertha BSC at 20:30 in the Ruhrstadion. Last year, the Berlin side lost 2:1 away on opening day to eventual champions FC Schalke 04. With Bochum vs. Hertha, the 2. Bundesliga gets a high-profile encounter right from the start.

Promoted sides and standout fixtures

In the Bundesliga, defending champions FC Bayern München open the new season on 28 August against VfB Stuttgart. Just a few days earlier, on 22 August, FC Bayern will play the opening match of the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup at Borussia Dortmund. The Supercup is contested between the double winner and the cup finalist.

Season framework and final matchday

The Supercup weekend also features the first round of the DFB-Pokal with all remaining participating teams. That means the new season's professional match calendar kicks off with a dense schedule of Supercup, DFB-Pokal, and league start for the clubs.

Background to fixture compilation

Promoted side SV Elversberg play their Bundesliga debut on 29 August and host Bayer Leverkusen. For the Saarland club, it is the first ever match in Germany's top flight. The second promoted side, FC Schalke 04, face Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, meaning the Revierderbies are on the schedule.

The first leg of the Revierderby in Gelsenkirchen is scheduled for the first weekend of December 2026, with the return fixture set for the weekend of 9 to 11 April 2027. Schalke gained promotion to the Bundesliga last season and won the second-division title.

Further influencing factors

The 64th Bundesliga season is framed by a winter break from 21 December to 7 January. The 34th and final matchday is scheduled for 22 May 2027 in the top flight and 23 May 2027 in the 2. Bundesliga, meaning the campaign finishes in both divisions at almost the same time.

The exact days and kickoff times of matches are announced by the DFL in blocks during the season. The reason is that the participation of German clubs in the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League impacts the Bundesliga fixture schedule. One guiding principle is: "A Champions League participant playing on Tuesday should not play a Bundesliga match on the preceding Sunday."

Looking ahead

Andreas Farr, a trained sports manager and Head of Competition Organization & Stadiums at the DFL, is responsible for compiling the fixture lists. Farr explained: "fährt die DFL extra die eigenen Serverkapazitäten hoch. Bis zu den endgültigen Spielplänen gibt es Hunderte Rechendurchläufe." Farr is supported by mathematics professor Stephan Westphal.

The Bundesliga group has used a software solution developed specifically for fixture compilation since 2018. It takes into account all the rules and variables for the 36 professional clubs. These include, among others, requirements from municipalities and security authorities, requests from clubs and stadium operators, and the avoidance of home matches involving rival fan groups on the same day.

Additional factors in the scheduling are regional public holidays and major events taking place on the same matchday, as well as the requirement that teams must have at least two days off before and after international matches. The DFB-Pokal also influences Bundesliga scheduling.

According to the DFL, the final planning work can only begin once promotion and relegation are definitively settled. Only then can the entire matchday be brought into a coherent overall picture in a computer-assisted process.

With the publication of the fixture lists, the framework for the new season is now set. Fans can plan their tickets, clubs their logistics, and broadcasters their coverage. The first balls will be rolling in a few weeks: on 7 August in Bochum, on 22 August in Dortmund, on 28 August in Munich, and on 29 August in Elversberg.

This article is based on a report by dpa (dpa-infocom).