By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GettyImages.
The wait is almost over as the new Bundesliga 2 season starts on 1 August, making Germany’s second division – and arguably its most unpredictable – about the only place you can watch huge league clashes at the height of summer!
They don’t get much bigger than the 2025-26 opener at the Veltins-Arena on Friday night, as two giants of the German game clash in FC Schalke 04 and Hertha BSC. Both clubs were relegated from the Bundesliga in 2022-23 and have so far struggled to mount a push back to the big me. Will it be third me lucky a er finishing in the lower half of the table last term? They can both set the tone from the off this year.
Saturday’s dose of ac on sees another fascina ng encounter as newly promoted DSC Arminia Bielefeld, who knocked out holders Bayer 04 Leverkusen and three other Bundesliga clubs on their way to reaching last season’s DFB-Pokal final, host usual promo on hopefuls Fortuna Düsseldorf in the standalone late kick-off.
The two sides relegated from the Bundesliga last season are in ac on earlier on Saturday at lunchme. VfL Bochum 1848 have bounced back from relega on with immediate promo on five mes before. They get their campaign started at SV Darmstadt 98, who themselves dropped out of the Bundesliga in 2024 and ended last season in 12th. Holstein Kiel visit SC Paderborn 07, who were close to the promo on spots last season, finishing fourth.
The side that came the closest of all to joining either Hamburger SV or 1. FC Köln in going up last season were SV Elversberg, who finished third and lost the play-off to 1. FC Heidenheim 1846. Horst Steffen, the architect of their rise over the last seven years, has le and made way for Vincent Wagner, whose tenure begins at home to Miroslav Klose’s 1. FC Nürnberg. The la er will look to improve from 10th spot last season in another early Saturday kick-off, while Karlsruher SC host SC Preußen Münster.
Two promo on hopefuls then clash on the first Sunday of the season, as Hannover 96 entertain FC Kaiserslautern.
FC Magdeburg were in the top-three mix in 2024-25, finishing fifth despite not winning at home un l February, and will hope to start another bid for a maiden Bundesliga promo on when they welcome former champions Eintracht Braunschweig. SpVgg Greuther Fürth face newly promoted SG Dynamo Dresden in the third Sunday encounter.