2. Bundesliga
After overcoming third-tier Arminia Bielefeld to win the DFB Cup last season, Stuttgart begin their defence against Eintracht Braunschweig in 2025/26. Will they retain the title or will we have a new winner?
bundesliga.com details all the fixtures and results on the road to Berlin on 23 May 2026...
Red bold text = Bundesliga club
Red normal text = Bundesliga 2 club
Italicised text = third division or lower
First round
The first round of the cup has been drawn and champions VfB Stuttgart will travel to Bundesliga 2 side Eintracht Braunschweig on the first step to defending their crown. Meanwhile, VfB's 2025 Supercup opponents Bayern are beginning their campaign away from home against third-division side Wehen Wiesbaden.
Competition newcomers RSV Eintracht and SV Hemelingen are playing Kaiserslautern and Wolfsburg respectively.
Fixtures will be played on the weekend of 15-18 August, except for those involving Bayern and Stuttgart, who are contesting the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup on 16 August. They will play their first-round games on 26/27 August.
Watch: All of Stuttgart's 2024/25 cup goals
2025/26 key dates
First round fixtures
Fixtures to be played on 15-18 and 26/27 August 2025
Second round
Draw on 31 August 2025, fixtures played on 28/29 October 2025
Round of 16
Draw on 2 November 2025, fixtures played on 2/3 December 2025
Quarter-finals
Draw on 7 December 2025, fixtures played on 3/4 and 10/11 February 2026
Semi-finals
Draw on 15 February 2026, fixtures played on 21/22 April 2026
Final
23 May 2026 at Berlin's Olympiastadion