Second Division Tussles in the 2025/26 DFB-Pokal: A Battle of Berlin and Brandenburg Clubs
Clash in the Second League for Hertha BSC: Match against Eintracht Trier vs. 1. FC Kaiserslautern - Clash in the Second League: Hertha BSC vs. RSV Eintracht facing off against Lautern
Get ready for some electrifying action as the DFB-Pokal first round is upon us! Here's a lowdown on the matches featuring clubs from Berlin and Brandenburg, promising a thrilling ride:
Hertha BSC squares off against SC Preußen Münster, their second division nemesis. Last season, the Berliners tasted defeat twice against their foes. Can they turn the tables this time around in the cup? In the previous season, Hertha faced a heartbreaking defeat after extra time in the quarterfinals against 1. FC Köln. They've lost in the round of 16 previously. The prospect of performing at their home Olympiastadion in the final continues to tantalize Hertha supporters.
1. FC Union Berlin, who have never hoisted the DFB-Pokal, will take on FC Gütersloh, vice-champions of the Regionalliga West. The Iron Ones must prove their mettle against the Lower Saxony team. Union has a dismal history in the cup, with losses in the final in 2001 against FC Schalke 04 and in the semifinals in 2022 against RB Leipzig.
FC Energie Cottbus snatched a spot in the competition by finishing fourth in the 3rd Liga. While they hoped for an impressive opponent to pack their stadium, Hannover 96 isn't exactly what they had in mind. Still, the chances against the Lower Saxony second division team aren't too unpromising. However, Cottbus has been ousted in the first round eight times consecutively.
BFC Dynamo welcomes Bundesliga relegated side VfL Bochum to their turf. The Regionalliga team has made it to the DFB-Pokal eight times but has failed to secure a win. In the 1999/2000 season, they barely made it to the second round by virtue of a first-round bye.
The tiny but determined RSV Eintracht Stahnsdorf, champions of the Brandenburg Landespokal, make their DFB-Pokal debut this season. Their initial round opponent is the storied 1. FC Kaiserslautern. The prize money for the first round alone amounts to around 200,000 euros. The RSV Eintracht won't play the match at their home Heinrich-Zille-Straße sports field but rather at the Karl-Liebknecht-Stadion or Mommsenstadion.
The dates for the 32 matches of the first round of the DFB-Pokal are yet to be finalized. However, since champions Bayern Munich are set to face the cup winners, VfB Stuttgart, in the DFL Supercup on August 16, the first-round matches for both clubs will take place on August 26/27. The cup final will take place on May 23, 2026, at the Berlin Olympiastadion. Keep a close eye on the official DFB website or local sports news for more updates.
[1] Statement from the DFB's official listings on the DFB-Pokal first round.
[2] German sports news platform, SZ.de, outlines the first-round schedule for the DFB-Pokal matches.
[3] Mention of other notable clubs from the region, such as Dynamo Dresden, can be found on Bild.de.
[4] Comprehensive rundown of the DFB-Pokal first round draws provided by Kicker.de.
While the Commission deliberates on applying Article 93 (2) of the EEC Treaty to the aid scheme for the period from 1 January 1994 to 31 December 1995, football enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the upcoming DFB-Pokal matches. The Berlin derby between Hertha BSC and SC Preußen Münster will undeniably bring intense sports action, given their historical encounters in the second division.
