Home match initiates Bayern's season against Leipzig.
Surprise, surprise: The German Premier League (Bundesliga) is shaking things up a notch! A day ahead of the full schedule release, the Deutsche Fußball Liga (DFL) announced that the Bundesliga's opening game will have the reigning champions, FC Bayern Munich, squaring off against RB Leipzig at their home turf. The highly-anticipated game will take place on August 22 at 20:30, and will be broadcast by Sky pay-TV and Sat.1 free TV.
This will mark Leipzig's first time participating in a Bundesliga opening game. On the other hand, Munich, who claimed their 34th title last season, are no strangers to this spectacle, having played in 16 openers since 2002, with an impressive record of 13 wins and 3 draws. They beat Leipzig 5:1 at home last season.
A few hours later, the DFL unveiled another official announcement for the opening day - Champions League participant Eintracht Frankfurt will host Werder Bremen at home. Also, the highly-anticipated clash between Bayern and Bundesliga returnee Hamburger SV has been scheduled for the third matchday. Furthermore, 1. FC Cologne will play at VfB Stuttgart on the 22nd matchday during carnival weekend (13-15 February 2026).
Fans had the chance to participate in a guessing game hosted by the DFL, with hints provided every half hour, totaling five. However, reactions to this game were mixed.
As for FC Bayern Munich, their champion coach Vincent Kompany's team is currently competing in the Club World Cup in the USA. On Sunday (22:00, Sat.1 and DAZN), they will face Flamengo Rio de Janeiro, Brazil's strongest current team, in Miami in the round of 16. The team's preparation for the 2025/26 season depends on their performance in the tournament, but their break won't be too long. On August 7, FCB will play the Telekom Cup against Tottenham Hotspur. On August 16, the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup is scheduled against cup winner VfB Stuttgart.
Beginning with the Munich game, Sky will broadcast all Friday Bundesliga games live for the next four years. The pay-TV channel will broadcast 538 of the total 617 Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga matches - including the Friday evening game and all Bundesliga Saturday games, including the "Top Game of the Week" at 18:30. The Bundesliga conference on Saturday will be shown by DAZN in the future, while they'll show all Bundesliga Sunday games. (dpa)
Insights:- For the 2025/26 season, FC Bayern Munich opened the league facing RB Leipzig, indicating a pattern of premier match-ups to start the season.- RB Leipzig typically play against VfB Stuttgart in a regular season fixture.- Eintracht Frankfurt launched against Freiburg in a recent season match.- Werder Bremen's initial opponents for the 2022/23 season are currently unconfirmed.- Hamburger SV is currently not part of the Bundesliga top flight.- 1. FC Cologne participated but specific opening game details are not available.
For more accurate details regarding the 2022/23 Bundesliga opening fixtures for these clubs, official Bundesliga archives or season-specific databases would be the best sources to consult.
The German Premier League (Bundesliga) has scheduled Eintracht Frankfurt to play against Werder Bremen on the opening day, marking a European league football fixture for both clubs. Additionally, Bayern Munich, a powerhouse of German football and champions of the 2025/26 season, will come up against European-league football opponents, RB Leipzig, in the opening game of the same league.
