This is how the teams of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 are preparing for the 2026/27 season: All Bundesliga test matches 2026 with all dates and opponents in the big test match overview.
Bundesliga test matches today: Dates, matches, time, broadcast
From mid-July to mid-August, there are a lot of Bundesliga test matches in 2026. The 36 teams from the first and second Bundesliga will prepare for the new 2026/27 season in the summer months. The different planning is particularly interesting.
Some teams only play very few pre-season games, while other clubs test more often. The approach to the choice of opponents is also different among the clubs. Some first and second division clubs tend to choose lower-class opponents, while some teams will play their Bundesliga test matches in 2026 against nominally stronger teams and international opponents.
Which Bundesliga friendlies in 2026 are among the highlights this summer? Who will the top teams Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt and VfB Stuttgart test against and which test matches are still in focus this summer?
The July highlights of the 2026 Bundesliga friendlies at a glance
As early as July, the Bundesliga test matches in 2026 promise thrilling duels and exciting assessments.
The first highlight of the Bundesliga summer friendlies is the match between Ajax Amsterdam and VfL Bochum on 15 July. Just two days later, on 17 July, the neighbourly duel between Mainz 05 and 1.
The first big test match Saturday will take place on 18 July 2026 with several interesting fixtures:
- RW Oberhausen – Borussia Dortmund
- Dynamo Dresden – Grazer AK
- Waldhof Mannheim – 1. FC Nürnberg
- Holstein Kiel – Swansea City
- Rapid Vienna – Hamburger SV
While BVB will take on the first test of form at Regionalliga side Oberhausen on 18 July, Hamburger SV will be away to Rapid Vienna in Austria.
Two other Bundesliga summer test matches also offer international flair. Hertha BSC will face African Champions League winners Mamelodi Sundowns on 21 July. The following day, on 22 July, 1. FC Heidenheim and FC Bologna will test each other.
A big fight day on the list of Bundesliga test matches 2026 is July 25. No less than 14 games are scheduled for this day. The highlights are: Wehen Wiesbaden vs. FC Bayern, Fortuna Dusseldorf vs. Borussia Dortmund, 1.FC Nürnberg vs. FC Palermo, Werder Bremen vs. VfL Bochum and RW Essen vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach.
The following day, on 26 July, Karlsruher SC will play against Inter Milan. The showdown between the second division team and the Italian champions is certainly an eye-catcher in this test match summer.
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Bundesliga friendlies 2026: Top duels and season openers in August
Top-class Bundesliga test matches are also on the programme in August.
On 1 August, Union Berlin will face Dynamo Dresden, VfL Bochum will face Sheffield United, VfB Stuttgart will face Paris FC and Waldhof Mannheim will face Eintracht Frankfurt. In addition, the HSV summer schedule 2026 schedules the season opener of Hamburger SV on August 1 – with a game against Premier League club FC Everton.
In the following days, more high-class international test match hits await German football fans:
- 7 August: Aston Villa – FC Bayern Munich
- 8 August: Schalke 04 – Atalanta Bergamo (S04 season opener)
- 8 August: FC Sevilla – Bayer Leverkusen
- 8 August: 1 FC Cologne – Real Sociedad
- 8 August: Leeds United – RB Leipzig
- 8 August: VfB Stuttgart – FC Everton (VfB season opener)
- 9 August: Arsenal FC – Borussia Dortmund
- 12 August: Nottingham Forest – Bayer Leverkusen
The Asia trip on the FC Bayern summer schedule 2026 includes two friendlies: the first on 4 July at Jeju SK FC and the second on 7 August against Aston Villa.
On August 8, there are many international Bundesliga summer test matches: On the one hand, the last of the Schalke test matches in 2026, which will take place against Atalanta Bergamo. As well as FC Sevilla – Bayer Leverkusen, 1. FC Cologne – Real Sociedad and Leeds United – RB Leipzig.
The big test match final day on 15 August
The Bundesliga test matches 2026 will conclude on 15 August with numerous top matches.
Borussia Dortmund will celebrate their season opener on 15 August with a tough match against AS Roma. FC Bayern has invited league rivals RB Leipzig to the Telekom Cup.
Several Bundesliga clubs will test against English teams on 15 August: One of the Frankfurt summer test matches in 2026 is the one at FC Brentford. In addition, VfB Stuttgart will play a friendly at FC Fulham and Bayer Leverkusen will travel to Newcastle United.
Meanwhile, Bundesliga test matches 2026 against English teams will also take place in Germany: SC Freiburg against Crystal Palace, Mainz against FC Bournemouth and Borussia Mönchengladbach have invited Aston Villa to test.
Who will show the Bundesliga test matches 2026 on TV and stream?
If you want to watch the broadcast of the Bundesliga test matches live, you have various options this summer. Since the exact broadcast dates are often only determined by the broadcasters at short notice during the pre-season, it is worth taking a regular look at the announcements.
Sky Sport News as the first port of call. The first important address for the Bundesliga test matches 2026 on TV and stream is the broadcaster Sky Sport News. This summer, many pre-season matches of the German professional clubs will be broadcast live here – such as all BVB’s international test matches.
But Sport 1 could also broadcast a few Bundesliga summer test matches at short notice. Possibly also on sports streamer DAZN.
Club’s own portals and YouTube streams
Many clubs are now taking the broadcast of their summer kicks into their own hands. They show the test matches directly on their official online platforms or their own YouTube channels. For fans, this service is usually free of charge and can be accessed flexibly on all devices.
Especially at the top clubs, there are fixed points of contact for the summer pre-season matches:
- FC Bayern Munich: The games of the German record champions can be seen on the club’s own portal FC Bayern TV PLUS.
- Borussia Dortmund: If you want to watch BVB’s games live, you can find the streams directly on BVB-TV and on the Borussia Dortmund YouTube channel
