DFB Pokal
FIFA Region
UEFA
Season
2025-2026
Location
Germany
Abbreviation
GERCUP1
Summary
The 2025-2026 DFB-Pokal (GERCUP1) is the most prestigious football club tournament in Germany. All 36 teams from Bundesliga (GER1) and 2.Bunedesliga (GER2) are participating. The Final will be held on 23 May 2026 in the Olympiastadion (Berlin). The winner of the 2025-2026 GERCUP1 receives a berth in the Group Stage of the 2026-2027 UEFA Europa League. Vfb Stuttgart (GER1) is the defending GERCUP1 champion.
All rounds/matches are "Knockout" matches. If a match is still tied after regulation time, two 15-minute extra time periods are played. If still tied after extra time, the teams go directly to a penalty shoot-out.
More Info...
Leagues Pyramid - Germany
| Abbrev | League | # Teams |
|---|---|---|
| GER1 | Bundesliga | 18 |
| GER2 | 2. Bundesliga | 18 |
| GER3 | 3. Liga | 20 |
| GER4A | Regionalliga Nord | 18 |
| GER4B | Regionalliga Nordost | 18 |
| GER4C | Regionalliga West | 18 |
| GER4D | Regionalliga Südwest | 18 |
| GER4E | Regionalliga Bayern | 18 |
Competition Structure
| Stage | # Teams | New Teams Entering This Round | Teams From Previous Round | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Round | 64 | 18 GER1 (Bundesliga) teams, 18 GER2 (2.Bundesliga) teams, 1st-4th place 2024-2025 GER3 (3.Liga) teams, 24 teams from 21 regional German FAs | None | 32 Knockout matches |
| 2nd Round | 32 | None | 32 winners from 1st Round | 16 Knockout matches |
| Round of 16 | 16 | None | 16 winners from 2nd Round | 8 Knockout matches |
| Quarterfinals | 8 | None | 8 winners from Round of 16 | 4 Knockout matches |
| Semifinals | 4 | None | 4 winners from Quarterfinals | 2 Knockout matches |
| Final | 2 | None | 2 winners from Semifinals | 1 Knockout match played at a neutral site |
2nd Round
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
Tue - 28 Oct 2025
 | Holstein Kiel (GER2) | Volkswagen Arena |
 | Borussia Dortmund (GER1) | Deutsche Bank Park |
 | Hamburger SV (GER1) | Voith-Arena |
 | SV 07 Elversberg (GER2) | Olympiastadion (Berlin) |
 | RB Leipzig (GER1) | LEAG Energie Stadion |
 | Karlsruher SC (GER2) | BORUSSIA-PARK |
 | Vfl Bochum (GER2) | WWK Arena |
 | 1899 Hoffenheim (GER1) | Millerntor-Stadion |
Wed - 29 Oct 2025
 | 1. FC Magdeburg (GER2) | Voehlin-Stadion Illertissen |
 | FC Kaiserslautern (GER2) | Sportpark Ronhof Thomas Sommer |
 | Vfb Stuttgart (GER1) | MEWA Arena |
 | Bayer 04 Leverkusen (GER1) | Home Deluxe Arena |
 | SC Freiburg (GER1) | Merkur Spiel-Arena |
 | FC Schalke 04 (GER2) | Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor |
 | DSC Arminia Bielefeld (GER2) | Stadion An der Alten Försterei |
 | FC Bayern München (GER1) | RheinEnergieSTADION |
1st Round
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
Fri - 15 Aug 2025
 | 13 | 1. FC Magdeburg (GER2) | Ludwigsparkstadion |
 | 05 | 1. FC Union Berlin (GER1) | Heidewaldstadion |
 | 04 | Bayer 04 Leverkusen (GER1) | WIRmachenDRUCK Arena |
| 10 | SV Werder Bremen (GER1) | Schüco Arena |
Sat - 16 Aug 2025
 | 12 | Hamburger SV (GER1) | Framas Stadion |
 | 13 | Vfl Bochum (GER2) | Sportforum Hohenschönhausen |
 | 05 | Eintracht Frankfurt (GER1) | Stadion am Wasserturm |
 | 24 | RB Leipzig (GER1) | GP Stadion am Hardtwald |
 | 04 | 1899 Hoffenheim (GER1) | Ostseestadion |
| 65 | FC Nürnberg (GER2) | Voehlin-Stadion Illertissen |
 | 23 | FC St Pauli (GER1) | Edmund-Plambeck-Stadion |
 | 05 | 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 (GER1) | Kaiserstuhlstadion |
 | 09 | Vfl Wolfsburg (GER1) | Stadion am Berliner Ring |
| 10 | Hannover 96 (GER2) | LEAG Energie Stadion |
 | 12 | SV Darmstadt 98 (GER2) | Stadion Lohmühle |
 | 02 | SC Freiburg (GER1) | Stadion am Lotter Kreuz |
Sun - 17 Aug 2025
 | 13 | SC Paderborn 07 (GER2) | Sportpark Höhenberg |
 | 12 | FC Köln (GER1) | Jahnstadion (Regensburg) |
 | 23 | Borussia M'gladbach (GER1) | Marchweg-Stadion |
 | 02 | SpVgg Greuther Fürth (GER2) | Heinz-Dettmer-Stadion |
 | 01 | FC Schalke 04 (GER2) | Bruno-Plache-Stadion |
 | 05 | Karlsruher SC (GER2) | bluechip-Arena |
 | 07 | FC Kaiserslautern (GER2) | Karl-Liebknecht-Stadion |
 | 01 | SV 07 Elversberg (GER2) | Donaustadion |
 | 02 | Holstein Kiel (GER2) | Waldstadion Homburg |
 | 02 | FC Augsburg (GER1) | Leuna Chemie Stadion |
Mon - 18 Aug 2025
 | 35 | Hertha Berlin (GER2) | Preußen-Stadion (Münster) |
 | 01 | FSV Mainz 05 (GER1) | Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion |
 | 24 | Fortuna Düsseldorf (GER2) | Sachs-Stadion |
 | 01 | Borussia Dortmund (GER1) | Stadion an der Hafenstraße |
Tue - 26 Aug 2025
 | 78 | Vfb Stuttgart (GER1) | Eintracht-Stadion |
Wed - 27 Aug 2025
 | 23 | FC Bayern München (GER1) | BRITA-Arena |