Germany DFB Cup 2026/2027 - Discussion and Prediction

[Soonandwaite]

Today marks the start of the first matches of the DFB-Pokal 2026/2027. 64 teams are competing for the chance to reach the final in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium in 2027.
But only one team can win the DFB-Pokal.
Who is your pick? Who will be the 2027 German Cup winner? Will it be Bayern Munich again? Or another team? Or could there even be a surprise winner?

Bayern Munich won the most recent DFB Cup final 3-0 against Stuttgart. Goals: Kane, Kane, Kane  

2026/27 DFB-Pokal first round

Friday, 21st August 2026
SC Preußen Münster - Karlsruher SC (18:00 CEST)
SV Waldhof Mannheim - 1. FC Kaiserslautern (18:00 CEST)
SC St. Tönis 1911/20 - Eintracht Frankfurt (18:00 CEST)
F.C. Hansa Rostock - VfB Stuttgart (20:45 CEST)

Saturday, 22nd August 2026
FC Energie Cottbus - FC Augsburg (13:00 CEST)
SV Wehen Wiesbaden - Bayer 04 Leverkusen (13:00 CEST)
FC Erzgebirge Aue - TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (15:30 CEST)
FC Viktoria Köln - 1. FC Nürnberg (15:30 CEST)
1. FC Saarbrücken - Hertha BSC (15:30 CEST)
MSV Duisburg - SV Elversberg (15:30 CEST)
Lüneburger SK Hansa - SV Werder Bremen (15:30 CEST)
SV Hemelingen - Hannover 96 (15:30 CEST)
SG Sonnenhof Großaspach - DSC Arminia Bielefeld (18:00 CEST)
TSV 1860 München - Holstein Kiel (18:00 CEST)
SV Eintracht Trier - RB Leipzig (18:00 CEST)

Sunday, 23rd August 2026
SSV Jeddeloh - 1. FC Heidenheim (13:00 CEST)
SpVgg Greuther Fürth - VfL Bochum (13:00 CEST)
SV Westfalia Rhynern - SG Dynamo Dresden (15:30 CEST)
TSV Schott Mainz - Borussia Mönchengladbach (15:30 CEST)
Eintracht Braunschweig - 1. FC Union Berlin (15:30 CEST)
Bahlinger SC - 1. FC Magdeburg (15:30 CEST)
VfB 1921 Krieschow - 1. FSV Mainz 05 (15:30 CEST)
FC Carl Zeiss Jena - SV Darmstadt 98 (15:30 CEST)
Fortuna Düsseldorf - SC Freiburg (18:00 CEST)
1. FC Phönix Lübeck - SC Paderborn (18:00 CEST)
Rot-Weiss Essen - FC St. Pauli (18:00 CEST)

Monday, 24th August 2026
VSG Altglienicke Berlin - VfL Wolfsburg (18:00 CEST)
SC Verl - Hamburger SV (18:00 CEST)
FC Würzburger Kickers - 1. FC Köln (18:00 CEST)
Hallescher FC - FC Schalke 04 (20:45 CEST)

Tuesday, 1st September 2026
HEBC Hamburg - Borussia Dortmund (20:45 CEST)

Wednesday, 2nd September 2026
VfL Osnabrück - FC Bayern München (20:45 CEST)

source: first round 

[Slow death]

The results of today's games surprised me greatly in terms of the number of goals scored by the Bundesliga teams. I expected both Bundesliga teams that played today to win, but I didn't expect them to score so many goals.

SC St. Tönis 0 - 11 Eintracht Frankfurt

I don't know how those SC St. Tönis players are feeling right now. They went onto the field to play and fight for a win or at least a draw. The opponent was strong compared to them, but honestly, conceding 11 goals isn't normal in a serious game. The first goal was in the 4th minute, and 6 minutes later they conceded the second. It might be acceptable; these things happen. But 7 minutes later the guys conceded their third goal, 12 minutes later they conceded their fourth, and that's not the worst part, they conceded their fifth goal in the 36th minute and two minutes later they conceded their sixth. As if that wasn't humiliating enough, 9 minutes later they conceded their seventh goal.

The first half ended with the guys losing 10-0. 

What kind of players were those on the field playing for SC St. Tönis? The fans and the coach must be in a lot of pain, because this game was a huge humiliation for the SC St. Tönis team, who conceded 10 goals in 51 minutes. The result of this game was so shocking that even the newspapers are talking about it.

Eintracht Frankfurt scored 10 goals in the first half to kick off the new season with an 11-0 thrashing of fifth-division side SC St Tönis in the first round of the German Cup on Friday.

source: https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/frankfurt-demolish-st-tonis-11-0-stuttgart-beat-rostock-210343243.html

[cygan]

as expected, bayern’s 4-1 victory over second-league club vfl osnabrück completed the first round
there were no surprises in the match between hebc hamburg (5th league) and dortmund either - bvb won 5-0
the following clubs were eliminated by lower-league teams: arminia bielefeld, heidenheim and st. pauli
the draw for the 2nd round of the cup will take place this saturday...

[Slow death]

I waited for all the games to finish before commenting, after my post about Eintracht Frankfurt's 11-0 victory. I didn't think I'd see another team scoring such an exaggerated number of goals so soon. But it happened 1 day after my post. I'm talking about this game:

Hemelingen 1 - 9 Hannover

I don't know either team, but I'm wondering what the Hemelingen players were doing on the field. In the first half they conceded 6 goals. That means in 45 minutes those Hemelingen guys conceded 6 goals. Couldn't they at least have all their players stay on the defensive to avoid going into halftime with such a high number of goals conceded? It's a huge humiliation to concede 6 goals in just the first half. In the second half, instead of preventing more goals, they conceded 3. If those guys from Hemelingen had played against Bayern in that game, they probably would have conceded 20 goals.

The big teams also showed no mercy to the smaller opponents.

HEBC 0 - 5 Dortmund

VfL Osnabrück 1 - 4 FC Bayern München

I preferred not to place any bets, even though the big teams have a significant advantage over the smaller teams in this competition. The fact that they field players they wouldn't usually start in serious matches makes me wary that there's still a chance big teams could drop points in this competition, causing me to lose money. That's why I prefer to bet only on serious games.

[Soonandwaite]

The big losers from this weekend’s Bundesliga games face each other in the DFB-Pokal: Hamburger SV vs. Eintracht Frankfurt. The team from Munich has to travel to Magdeburg,
while Borussia Dortmund host Werder Bremen. Here’s the full overview of all the games. The matches are being played on October 27.


source: flashscore 

[LTU_btc]

I followed first round of DFB Pokal and there was several big upsets with Bundesliga clubs getting eliminated. Like fourth tier SSV Jeddeloh II eliminated Heidenheim from Bundesliga with result 5:2. Or Rot-Weiß Essen from 3rd division won against St. Pauli from Bundesliga.
2nd round will be played not very soon, in the end of October. And when you see 2 clubs from Bundesliga facing each other already in 2nd round, it's not very lucky draw.

[Soonandwaite]

I followed first round of DFB Pokal and there was several big upsets with Bundesliga clubs getting eliminated. Like fourth tier SSV Jeddeloh II eliminated Heidenheim from Bundesliga with result 5:2. Or Rot-Weiß Essen from 3rd division won against St. Pauli from Bundesliga.
2nd round will be played not very soon, in the end of October. And when you see 2 clubs from Bundesliga facing each other already in 2nd round, it's not very lucky draw.

Four teams from the 1. Bundesliga will definitely be eliminated in the second round of the DFB Cup.

Dortmund vs. Werder Bremen
Cologne vs. Union Berlin
Hamburger SV vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
SC Paderborn vs. VFB Stuttgart

But there’s also something special: For the first time in 18 years, all 18 Bundesliga Clubs have reached the second round of the DFB

[cygan]

✂️
Four teams from the 1. Bundesliga will definitely be eliminated in the second round of the DFB Cup.

Dortmund vs. Werder Bremen
Cologne vs. Union Berlin
Hamburger SV vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
SC Paderborn vs. VFB Stuttgart
✂️

all the clubs i've highlighted in bold here will get through the second round and advance to the round of 16!
feel free to come back to this post later to see how right i was...
btw bayern got lucky again and will face a 2nd-division team (magdeburg) at home...

[Moreno233]

I followed first round of DFB Pokal and there was several big upsets with Bundesliga clubs getting eliminated. Like fourth tier SSV Jeddeloh II eliminated Heidenheim from Bundesliga with result 5:2. Or Rot-Weiß Essen from 3rd division won against St. Pauli from Bundesliga.
2nd round will be played not very soon, in the end of October. And when you see 2 clubs from Bundesliga facing each other already in 2nd round, it's not very lucky draw.

That first round surprised many of us and I'm many bettors lost money as a result. The only people that will be safe somehow are those theat bet on goals because despite the upsets, a lot of the popular teams scored decent amount of goals which is all that is needed to win. The reason I get so bored about the DFB Pokal is that one always know the winner from the beginning since Germany is ruled mainly by one team.

[Ayers]

Dortmund vs. Werder Bremen
Cologne vs. Union Berlin
Hamburger SV vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
SC Paderborn vs. VFB Stuttgart

We are likely to see one sided result in all three matches. You know, Werder Bremen, Hamburger and Paderborn are relatively weak. Consequently, Borussia, Frankfurt and Stuttgart are unlikely to face any major hurdle in this round.

I am concerned about Union Berlin's match. Just few years ago, we saw this team fighting for spot in top four. However, I have observed strange decline in their performance over last three season. Perhaps even qualifying for Bundesliga has become challenge for Berlin. I do not foresee any change in this scenario for current season either. They have made poor start to Bundesliga, as usual. Even securing win against Köln has now become difficult task for Berlin.

[mv1986]

Dortmund vs. Werder Bremen
Cologne vs. Union Berlin
Hamburger SV vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
SC Paderborn vs. VFB Stuttgart

We are likely to see one sided result in all three matches. You know, Werder Bremen, Hamburger and Paderborn are relatively weak. Consequently, Borussia, Frankfurt and Stuttgart are unlikely to face any major hurdle in this round.

I am concerned about Union Berlin's match. Just few years ago, we saw this team fighting for spot in top four. However, I have observed strange decline in their performance over last three season. Perhaps even qualifying for Bundesliga has become challenge for Berlin. I do not foresee any change in this scenario for current season either. They have made poor start to Bundesliga, as usual. Even securing win against Köln has now become difficult task for Berlin.

I would bet against it. Go and place a combo bet on the three "one sided" games you are seeing. I am pretty sure it will go wrong. I would say that even Dortmund - Bremen is not a safe loss for Bremen, or @cygan? I am serious, DFB Cup can be very different and the stakes are high, more nervousness, if Bremen can score and defend well, Dortmund has lost their nerves in the past.

Hamburg - Frankfurt is definitely not a clear cut case. You have to remember that the DFB Cup is the shortest route for any of the weaker clubs to gain something from it. They play these games on a different level. Frankfurt lost at home against Augsburg 1-4. Just saying..

Paderborn - Stuttgart, far from safe.

[cygan]

✂️
I would say that even Dortmund - Bremen is not a safe loss for Bremen, or @cygan?
✂️

after the score tied at 2-2 (following yet another 0-2 deficit), i truly believed that bremen would still win the game and advance to the next round.
but then, in the very last minute, came Sabitzer’s dream free kick...
other than that, three other bundesliga clubs were eliminated along with bremen:
mainz and elversberg lost against 2nd-bundesliga teams and hamburg was eliminated at home by frankfurt.

[mv1986]

~

after the score tied at 2-2 (following yet another 0-2 deficit), i truly believed that bremen would still win the game and advance to the next round.
but then, in the very last minute, came Sabitzer’s dream free kick...
other than that, three other bundesliga clubs were eliminated along with bremen:
mainz and elversberg lost against 2nd-bundesliga teams and hamburg was eliminated at home by frankfurt.

I agree, momentum was on Bremen's side. Füllkrug's second goal was probably one of the best goals he ever scored. I think I have never seen him dribble like that, keep the ball for himself, focus and find that perfect timing while at full speed and setting that shot in the bottom right corner. Too bad this only happens every five years for Füllkrug

Sabitzer's free kick, yes, it was a great free kick and I also understand why the goalkeeper speculated on a cross ball coming in. It is rare that someone uses that very last chance of the game to go for a free kick because if he messes it up, the whole team will be complaining. You either score or are an idiot. Sabitzer chose to take the risk, so kudos to him, and hard to defend for the goalkeeper then.

In total, I think Bremen must be taken seriously at the moment (to my surprise). They can come back from nothing, they have good results, and yes they will have their bad results, but it is not like "oh Bremen, easy points".

[Richbased]

✂️
I would say that even Dortmund - Bremen is not a safe loss for Bremen, or @cygan?
✂️

after the score tied at 2-2 (following yet another 0-2 deficit), i truly believed that bremen would still win the game and advance to the next round.
but then, in the very last minute, came Sabitzer’s dream free kick...
other than that, three other bundesliga clubs were eliminated along with bremen:
mainz and elversberg lost against 2nd-bundesliga teams and hamburg was eliminated at home by frankfurt.

What happened in the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund - Werder Bremen almost happened in the DFB Cup match between both teams because it was just same format where Borussia Dortmund scored first 2 goals and Bremen equalled the 2 goals, it was Marcel Sabitzer late minute goal that just saved Borussia Dortmund if they had moved to penalty shootout it would have been disastrous for them.

Mainz losing to Bochum is something I didn't imagine can happen because I just the odds of the home team and it was way higher than the odd given to Mainz. Elversberg was another disappointing team because i don't even understand how they lost to Darmstadt. Leipzig tried to win their match despite having a red card challenge starting from first half, it wasn't easy for them till the final minutes.

[cygan]

on the 2nd day of the dfb-cup, two more bundesliga teams schalke (0-2 in dresden (2nd division)) and hoffenheim (3-4 after penalty kicks vs. kiel (2nd division)) were eliminated yesterday by lower-division teams.
paderborn was also eliminated (0-1 against atuttgart) and bayern won its home game against 2nd-division club magdeburg by a decisive 6-1 victory

[leea-1334]

on the 2nd day of the dfb-cup, two more bundesliga teams schalke (0-2 in dresden (2nd division)) and hoffenheim (3-4 after penalty kicks vs. kiel (2nd division)) were eliminated yesterday by lower-division teams.

I guess in England and Germany this seems more common,,, but I wonder what is the ratio of power between Bundesliga main and second division? In England Arsenal top of Division 1 and Fleetwood all the way down in Division 4 is a huge power difference. Seems like much less teams in Germany,,, does this also mean there is a smaller gap in between the power?

[Rashlyowl]

on the 2nd day of the dfb-cup, two more bundesliga teams schalke (0-2 in dresden (2nd division)) and hoffenheim (3-4 after penalty kicks vs. kiel (2nd division)) were eliminated yesterday by lower-division teams.
paderborn was also eliminated (0-1 against atuttgart) and bayern won its home game against 2nd-division club magdeburg by a decisive 6-1 victory

It always feels not real when teams with better quality lose to the weaker teams, Schalke & Hoffenheim, as well as Arsenal in the EFL Cup. Regardless of whether they play their reserve team.

Next, we will look at the round of 16, which features these teams: Darmstadt, Borussia Dortmund, Hertha Berlin, Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern Munich, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Bochum, Dresden, Augsburg, Kaiserslautern, Gladbach, Freiburg, Koln, Leipzig & Holstein Kiel.

There is no confirmation yet as to which teams will face each other, as the draw for round of 16 will take place on November 1 at 7:00 PM CET.

[LTU_btc]

on the 2nd day of the dfb-cup, two more bundesliga teams schalke (0-2 in dresden (2nd division)) and hoffenheim (3-4 after penalty kicks vs. kiel (2nd division)) were eliminated yesterday by lower-division teams.
paderborn was also eliminated (0-1 against atuttgart) and bayern won its home game against 2nd-division club magdeburg by a decisive 6-1 victory

Yesterday I watched Bayer - Nurnberg and it was such fun game to watch with so many goals scored. And 5:2 Bayer win doesn't reflects the game as they were down 0:2. Yeah, Bayer dominated, but when you have to make comeback from 0:2 it's never easy.

I guess in England and Germany this seems more common,,, but I wonder what is the ratio of power between Bundesliga main and second division? In England Arsenal top of Division 1 and Fleetwood all the way down in Division 4 is a huge power difference. Seems like much less teams in Germany,,, does this also mean there is a smaller gap in between the power?

If we look at all 2nd divisions in Europe, there is only league stronger than Bundesliga 2 - Championship. Bundesliga 2 is always full of big clubs with rich history like Wolfsburg, Hertha, Hannover, or Kaiserslautern and big number of uspets doesn't looks that surprising.
EFL Cup is lowest priority trophy in England, EPL clubs don't play with main squads there and upsets happens often, but 4th division club eliminating EPL champions is something what you won't see often.

[leea-1334]

I guess in England and Germany this seems more common,,, but I wonder what is the ratio of power between Bundesliga main and second division? In England Arsenal top of Division 1 and Fleetwood all the way down in Division 4 is a huge power difference. Seems like much less teams in Germany,,, does this also mean there is a smaller gap in between the power?

If we look at all 2nd divisions in Europe, there is only league stronger than Bundesliga 2 - Championship. Bundesliga 2 is always full of big clubs with rich history like Wolfsburg, Hertha, Hannover, or Kaiserslautern and big number of uspets doesn't looks that surprising.
EFL Cup is lowest priority trophy in England, EPL clubs don't play with main squads there and upsets happens often, but 4th division club eliminating EPL champions is something what you won't see often.

Yeah, England is always a crazy place, remember even Nottingham Forest was only recently back in the top division whereas you have now Leicester in 3rd division and even if you go down you will see former Premier League greats.

Still,,, a team 4 divisions away beating a club 100x their value no matter the importance of the competition, it is always a shock for me. Someday I think my beloved Spurs will be that shocking club, wonder if I will be alive by then  

[Soonandwaite]

There are only 16 teams left in the DFB-Pokal now. Ten are from the Bundesliga and six from the 2. Bundesliga. No teams from the 3. Liga or the amateur leagues are left in the competition. I was actually expecting at least one underdog to make it to the Round of 16, but things have turned out a little differently this year 
Now I’m looking forward to the draw for the round of 16.