The new Bundesliga 2 season has just begun, and everyone is looking forward to a fierce fight for promotion. But who is the favorite in this race?
In our 2. Bundesliga preview, we have analyzed 5 promotion contenders to help you understand what to expect from them in the 2025/26 season.
Hertha BSC
The 2025/26 Bundesliga 2 season presents Berlin with a real opportunity to return to the top division.
Last season, Hertha finished only 11th, but that is not the important thing here. Under Stefan Leitl, who became Hertha BSC’s head coach in February, the team played 12 matches, winning five and drawing four, which allowed the Berlin team to earn 19 points, almost half of what Hertha had in 22 matches before that. And that’s considering that several matches were spent adapting to the new head coach.
Another factor contributing to their chances of promotion in this season is that Hertha has retained key players Fabian Reese, Michaël Cuisance, Deyovaisio Zeefuik, and several other important players who are preparing for the new season with the capital city team.
In addition, Hertha has been able to strengthen its squad significantly: Leon Jensen (Karlsruher SC), Dawid Kownacki (Werder Bremen), Paul Seguin (Schalke 04), Niklas Kolbe (SSV Ulm), and Maurice Krattenmacher (Bayern Munich) all joined Hertha BSC this summer, and these are just some of the new additions. The transfer window remains open, and new transfers are not out of the question.
Prediction: Hertha BSC will take a place in the top three 2. Bundesliga Season 25/26.
Starting match: Schalke 04 – Hertha BSC, Friday, August 1
Hannover 96
The 96ers are another contender for promotion based on the results of the season.
Hannover consistently hovered around the top three last season, but constant losses of points at crucial moments meant they only finished ninth, although they were only seven points behind the top three.
The most important reinforcement for Hannover 96 ahead of the Bundesliga 2 25/26 is Christian Titz, former head coach of 1. FC Magdeburg (5th place in the 24/25 season) will now lead the team.
Hannover 96 lost one crucial player this summer – Nicolò Tresoldi moved to Club Brugge, but the team also gained some new faces with the money from the transfer.
Nahuel Noll (SpVgg Greuther Furth), Maik Nawrocki (Celtic), Marius Wörl (returned from loan at Arminia Bielefeld), Hendry Blank (RB Salzburg), Jonas Sterner (Holstein Kiel), Maurice Neubauer (SV Elversberg), Waniss Taibi (Rodez) and several other players have significantly strengthened 96 ahead of the season.
Looking at those big transfers and the new head coach, it’s easy to see how Hannover 96’s management is investing in this season and counting on good results.
Prediction: Hannover 96 will take a place in the top three 2. Bundesliga 25/26.
Starting match: Hannover 96 – 1. FC Kaiserslautern, Sunday, August 3
Holstein Kiel
Kiel kept their chances of staying in the Bundesliga alive until almost the last round, but two defeats at the end of the championship meant that they will start the 2025/26 season in the 2. Bundesliga.
Holstein Kiel did not change its head coach after the end of the previous season, so Marcel Rapp will try to return the team to the Bundesliga in his fourth season in Kiel.
In the summer, the club made a good profit on the sale of Nicolai Remberg to HSV, while other important players, Timo Becker (Schalke 04) and Colin Noah Kleine-Bekel (VfL Bochum), also left the team.
The following players have joined Kiel: Stefan Schwab (PAOK), Kasper Davidsen (Aalborg), Jonas Therkelsen (Stromsgodset), Robert Wagner (SC Freiburg), Mladen Cvjetinović (Ingolstadt), and others.
Kiel is a team poised to make a splash in Season 25/26, thanks to the coach’s extensive experience with the team and his understanding of who is needed to achieve the goals.
Prediction: Holstein Kiel can fight for the first three positions until the last rounds, but everything will depend on their stability.
Starting match: SC Paderborn 07 – Holstein Kiel, Saturday, August 2
Fortuna Dusseldorf
Fortuna is back on our list, and for good reason: the 2025–2026 Bundesliga 2 season will be F95’s next attempt to return to the top division.
In the last championship, Fortuna finished fifth and was in contention for third place until the last round.
The main loss was the departure of Ísak Jóhannesson (1. FC Köln), who played strongly in Season 24/25 and left to play in the top division. Other significant losses included the departure of Dawid Kownacki (Werder Bremen), who could not be bought out from Bremen and has now moved to rivals in Berlin, and Myron Van Brederode (AZ Alkmaar).
However, Fortuna Düsseldorf also has some positive news on the transfer market, for example, Anouar El Azzouzi (PEC Zwolle), Luca Raimund (VfB Stuttgart), Sotiris Alexandropoulos (Sporting), Marcel Lotka (Borussia Dortmund), Christian Rasmussen (Ajax Amsterdam), and Christopher Lenz (TSG Hoffenheim), who will try to revive his career in the 2. Bundesliga.
There are also several transfer rumors surrounding Fortuna regarding new additions to the Düsseldorf team.
Prediction: Fortuna Düsseldorf can fight for the first three positions until the last rounds, but everything will depend on their stability.
Starting match: Arminia Bielefeld – Fortuna Düsseldorf, Saturday, August 2
1. FC Nürnberg
Miroslav Klose’s team is also among the contenders for promotion to Season 25/26 2. Bundesliga.
Nürnberg finished last season in tenth place, but in Klose’s second year, it is time to demonstrate better results.
The only thing that casts doubt on the possible battle for the top three places in the 2. Bundesliga Season 25/26 is a possible sale that the team has organized ahead of the new championship. In addition to Stefanos Tzimas (Brighton & Hove), whose transfer was approved back in the winter, the team has also lost important players Mahir Emreli (1.FC Kaiserslautern) and Jens Castrop (Borussia M’gladbach). Rumors continue to swirl about the possible departure of young talent Caspar Jander.
Nürnberg has some reinforcements, but this is clearly not enough, and there is still work to be done in the transfer market. Many young and promising talents will start the 2025/26 season in Klose’s team. Still, more experienced players, such as Mickaël Biron (RWDM Brussels), Semir Telalović (SSV Ulm), and Luka Lochoshvili (Cremonese), have also joined. The squad also includes the promising Artem Stepanov (Bayer 04), who played for Leverkusen in last year’s Champions League and has already made a good impression in preseason training with his new team.
Nürnberg’s success will depend directly on transfers and whether new players can effectively fill the problem positions.
Prediction: 1. FC Nürnberg has all the chances to fight for the promotion, but they need to strengthen their squad.
Starting match: SV Elversberg – 1. FC Nürnberg, Saturday, August 2
