DFB-Pokal first round schedule confirmed for 2026-27 season
DFB-Pokal first round schedule confirmed for 2026-27: 30 games set for Aug 21-24; Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund play on Sept 1-2 due to Super Cup.
The Deutscher Fußball-Bund has confirmed the DFB-Pokal first round schedule for the 2026-27 season, setting dates and kick-off times for all 32 opening ties. The headline news is that 30 fixtures will be played across August 21–24, while Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will face their first-round opponents on September 1 and 2 because of a Super Cup commitment. The announcement provides clarity for clubs, supporters and broadcasters as the national cup curtain-raiser approaches.
DFB-Pokal first round dates and kick-off times
The DFB has slotted the bulk of first-round matches over a concentrated four-day window from Friday, August 21 to Monday, August 24, 2026. Kick-off times are spread across afternoon and evening slots, with many ties starting at 15:30 or 18:00 CET and marquee fixtures scheduled for later time slots. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are the exceptions, with their games moved to September 1 and 2 to accommodate the Franz Beckenbauer Super Cup on August 22.
The association said the staggered schedule is intended to protect the integrity of the competitions and to allow television partners to programme around both domestic and showcase fixtures. Clubs affected by the delayed ties have been informed and ticketing departments will publish host-club guidance in the coming days. Supporters should monitor club communications for any venue-specific updates or travel advice.
Why Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund play on September 1–2
Bayern, as reigning DFB-Pokal and Bundesliga champions, and Dortmund, as Bundesliga runners-up, are required to contest the traditional season-opening Super Cup in midweek on August 22. That fixture occupies the prime evening slot and necessitates the postponement of each club’s cup opener to avoid fixture congestion and risk to player welfare. The DFB’s decision reflects a common approach to scheduling when leading clubs take part in both domestic and showcase matches around the same dates.
The later dates give both clubs a short recovery window after the Super Cup and allow their cup ties to take place under normal competitive conditions. For the opposition—VfL Osnabrück for Bayern Munich and HEBC Hamburg for Borussia Dortmund—the revised dates offer additional lead time to prepare and to market a high-profile hosting opportunity. Local authorities and police will coordinate matchday operations with club safety officers to reflect the new timetable.
Complete fixture list for the opening round
Friday, August 21 opens the DFB-Pokal with four scheduled matches, giving the competition a modest launch before the weekend. FC St. Tonis face Eintracht Frankfurt (18:00), Waldhof Mannheim meet 1. FC Kaiserslautern (18:00), Preußen Münster play SC Karlsruhe (18:00) and Hansa Rostock host VfB Stuttgart (20:45).
Saturday, August 22 contains a dense slate of fixtures across the afternoon and evening, including SV Wehen Wiesbaden v Bayer Leverkusen (13:00) and a series of 15:30 kick-offs featuring Erzgebirge Aue v TSG Hoffenheim and Lüneburger SK Hansa v Werder Bremen among others. The day concludes with matches such as Eintracht Trier v RB Leipzig and TSV 1860 München v Holstein Kiel at 18:00.
Sunday, August 23 carries a broad programme of ties from early to evening, highlighted by SpVgg Greuther Fürth v VfL Bochum (13:00) and a 15:30 set that includes Eintracht Braunschweig v 1. FC Union Berlin and Bahlinger SC v 1. FC Magdeburg. Top-flight meetings later in the day include Rot-Weiss Essen v FC St. Pauli and Fortuna Düsseldorf v SC Freiburg at 18:00.
Monday, August 24 concludes the concentrated weekend with four fixtures all scheduled for 18:00, giving the cup a compact finish to its opening phase. Matches on that date are Würzburg Kickers v 1. FC Köln, VSG Altglienicke v VfL Wolfsburg, SC Verl v Hamburger SV and Hallescher FC v FC Schalke 04.
The two postponed fixtures will be played on Tuesday, September 1 and Wednesday, September 2 at 20:45, with HEBC Hamburg hosting Borussia Dortmund and VfL Osnabrück welcoming Bayern Munich. Those late summer midweek kick-offs complete the first-round calendar and allow the competition to proceed without overlapping the Super Cup.
Notable ties and early upset potential
The early round presents several intriguing matchups that will attract attention beyond routine cup fare, particularly where lower-league hosts face Bundesliga opposition. Eintracht Trier’s home tie against RB Leipzig and TSV 1860 München’s meeting with Holstein Kiel stand out as games where the visitors must guard against the unpredictability of single-elimination football. The atmosphere at smaller venues often levels the playing field and can reward disciplined underdogs.
Regional derbies and matches with local significance also add spice to the draw, and smaller clubs will seize the opportunity to showcase themselves on a national stage. Rot-Weiss Essen v FC St. Pauli and Eintracht Braunschweig v 1. FC Union Berlin are fixtures that carry history and rivalry which can produce tense, competitive affairs. Cup competitions frequently produce surprise results, and these ties will be watched closely by supporters and analysts alike.
Practical information for supporters and clubs
Fans planning to attend should check club websites and official social channels for ticket release dates and entry requirements, as demand for certain fixtures is likely to be high. Host clubs control ticket allocation and hospitality packages, while visiting supporters will need to follow away-supporter procedures established with local police and stadium authorities. Travel logistics, particularly for weekday fixtures and the rescheduled Bayern and Dortmund ties, should be considered in advance.
Clubs will also manage squad rotation and injury monitoring across the opening weeks of the domestic season, with managers balancing cup ambitions against league priorities. The DFB’s published kick-off times enable teams to plan training cycles and medical recovery schedules. For lower-league clubs, revenue from cup ties—through ticketing and matchday sales—remains an important component of seasonal budgets and provides an incentive to field competitive line-ups.
Broadcasting, commercial considerations and calendar impact
The compact scheduling of 30 first-round fixtures across a single weekend creates programming opportunities for broadcasters and streaming platforms, while the two postponed fixtures will occupy attractive weekday evening slots. Broadcasters will confirm selections and coverage windows in the run-up to the matches, and fans should consult official broadcaster schedules for live coverage and highlights. Commercial partners and sponsors typically use the DFB-Pokal’s early rounds to leverage regional engagement and brand visibility.
From a calendar standpoint, the DFB-Pokal first round sits early in a congested domestic calendar that also features league fixtures, the Super Cup and international windows later in the autumn. The DFB has structured the early rounds to reduce midweek travel where possible, but clubs with European commitments or later cup progression will need to navigate fixture density. The association retains the authority to relocate or reschedule matches for justified reasons such as stadium availability, safety concerns or extraordinary events.
Clubs and supporters should be prepared for potential adjustments, and communication from the DFB and individual clubs will set out any changes well ahead of kick-off. Match officials and VAR appointments for the opening round will be confirmed by the relevant refereeing authorities in due course.
Supporters, clubs and media now have full clarity on the opening matches of the 2026-27 DFB-Pokal, with a schedule that balances competitive fairness and broadcast considerations. The condensed August timetable promises a busy and potentially dramatic weekend of cup football, while the September dates for Bayern and Dortmund add a further boost of interest after the Super Cup. As teams prepare for their first cup outings, attention will turn to squad selection, ticketing updates and the first moments that often define a knockout campaign.
