It’s back on: The Bundesliga clubs also kick off their competitive match season this weekend. The 1st round of the DFB Cup is on the schedule.
This means there will once again be many David vs. Goliath duels at the start of the long journey to the final in Berlin. 30 of the 32 matches are on the DFB Cup schedule this weekend
Which games are in the spotlight on the DFB Cup fixture list?
The DFB Cup fixture list has a first highlight on Friday. SSV Ulm, who have just been promoted to Bundesliga 2, will host FC Bayern in the evening (20:45).
The record cup winners have not reached the final for four years and will be looking to make amends in the 2024/25 season under new coach Vincent Kompany. After all, a second division team is the toughest possible task.
On Saturday, August 17, the DFB Cup fixture list starts at 13:00. The match between Erzgebirge Aue and Borussia Mönchengladbach will be a clash of tradition.
At 3:30 p.m., cup fever will finally return to Essen’s Hafenstraße. RW Essen, cup winners in 1953, will welcome two-time winners RB Leipzig in the first round.
In the evening, one of the biggest outsiders, Phönix Lübeck, will try their luck against Borussia Dortmund in the first round, starting at 6:00 pm. At the same time, Alemannia Aachen will host Holstein Kiel in a clash of promoted teams.
On Sunday, the match between 1. FC Saarbrücken and 1. FC Nürnberg will be played at 1:00 pm, before Dynamo Dresden play Fortuna Düsseldorf at 6:00 pm.
There are also two eagerly anticipated clashes on Monday: Kickers Offenbach – FC Magdeburg (18:00) and Eintracht Braunschweig – Eintracht Frankfurt (20:45).
Where to watch the DFB Cup 1st round on TV & Stream?
The DFB Cup 1st round broadcast is available in full on Sky.
The pay-TV channel holds the rights to all matches and broadcasts each game individually and in the conference, including the first round in 2024/25.
There will also be four DFB Cup 1st round matches on free-to-air TV, but only two on this (long) weekend.
ZDF will broadcast the match between SSV Ulm and FC Bayern on Friday evening (16.8., 20:45). ARD will kick off the cup season on Monday evening (19.8., 20:45) with Braunschweig – Frankfurt.
The two Super Cup participants Stuttgart and Leverkusen can also be seen on free TV, but not until a week and a half later.
On Tuesday, August 27, ARD will show the match between Preußen Münster and VfB Stuttgart at 8:45 pm. Defending champions Leverkusen can then be seen on ZDF in their away game at CZ Jena (August 28, 6:00 p.m.).
These two catch-up games will of course also be shown live on Sky.
