The 26/27 2. Bundesliga season is set to kick off in less than two weeks. Teams are busy in the transfer market and holding pre-season training camps.
It’s time to make our 2. Bundesliga Season 26/27 Prediction: to understand what to expect from the coming season and identify the teams that will be fighting for promotion and survival.
The Battle for Promotion
VfL Wolfsburg
VfL Wolfsburg caused a real sensation last season after being relegated to the 2. Bundesliga for the first time since the 96/97 season. The Wolves lost their playoff matches to SC Paderborn (0:0, 2:1).
Wolfsburg are entering the second division with a massive budget and the most expensive squad of any team in the 2. Bundesliga. The value of their players is estimated at 208 million euros; by comparison, their closest rivals, FC St. Pauli, have a squad valued at almost 46 million euros.
The club has been very active in the transfer market, and these may not be all the signings yet, as there is still more than a month to go before the transfer window closes. The following players have joined the team: Robert Glatzel (HSV, for around €1.7 million), Fabian Reese (Hertha BSC, for around €8 million), Mohammed Damar (TSG Hoffenheim, for around €5.5 million), Timon Wellenreuther (Feyenoord, for around €1 million), Fraser Hornby (SV Darmstadt, for around €4 million) and a number of other players.
Wolfsburg have also appointed a new head coach: Tobias Strobl has joined from SC Verl, whilst former head coach Dieter Hecking has become the club’s sporting director.
Even if we consider that not all of Wolfsburg’s high-profile players have left the club yet – due to their reluctance to play in the 2. Bundesliga – there are no objective reasons why VfL Wolfsburg should not return to the top flight.
Starting match: 1. FC Kaiserslautern vs VfL Wolfsburg, Saturday, August 8.
FC St.Pauli
Unlike Wolfsburg, St. Pauli are a team that recently played in the 2. Bundesliga. In the 23/24 season, they won the second division and remained in the Bundesliga for two seasons.
FC St. Pauli have not yet made any high-profile signings, limiting themselves to free transfers of Marcus Mathisen (1. FC Magdeburg) and Branimir Hrgota (SpVgg Greuther Fürth). It appears that the club is currently trying to retain the core of the squad, although they have not managed to avoid some departures, as a number of key players have left the squad: Nikola Vasilj (free agent), Hauke Wahl (VfL Wolfsburg, for around €1.8 million), Manolis Saliakas (Olympiacos, for around €1.3 million) and several others.
Just like the Wolves, St. Pauli have also changed their head coach; they will begin the 26/27 2.Bundesliga season under Marcel Rapp, who previously managed Holstein Kiel.
If FCSP manage to retain their remaining key players and find their form, the fans can look forward to a swift return to the top flight.
Starting match: SpVgg Greuther Fürth vs FC St. Pauli, Sunday, August 9.
Hannover 96
Last season, the team finished fourth and only narrowly missed out on a promotion spot. Hannover 96 spent a long time in the top three of the 2. Bundesliga, but completely faltered in the final stages, drawing three matches in a row. Particularly painful was the draw against 1. FC Nürnberg (3:3), which ultimately prevented them from finishing third.
However, H96 are not giving up and are actively strengthening their squad. Most importantly, the club has retained the core of the team, although there have been some painful departures, such as Noel Aseko (Bayern Munich, for around 3.5 million euros) and captain Enzo Leopold (Borussia Mönchengladbach, free transfer). But there have also been some new signings, such as Jean Hugonet (1. FC Magdeburg, free transfer) and Pascal Loretz (FC Luzern, for around €1.1 million). Lars Gindorf has also returned from loan, having been the top scorer in the 3. Liga whilst on loan at Alemannia Aachen
There has also been a new appointment in the role of sporting director, with Jonas Boldt taking up the post. Although Hannover 96 head coach Christian Titz, the sporting director, and club management often find themselves at odds, they always reach a mutual decision.
A third-place finish and a spot in the playoffs would be a success for Hannover, but the team can also dream of direct promotion.
Starting match: Energie Cottbus vs Hannover 96, Sunday, August 9.
1. FC Nürnberg
Last season nearly turned into a real nightmare for 1. FC Nürnberg and Miroslav Klose. After five matchdays, FCN had just one point, and there were rampant rumors of a head coach change and possibly even changes within the club’s management. However, Nürnberg then began to improve steadily, though without any major surprises, and finished the season in eighth place.
The transfer window was quite painful for 1. FC Nürnberg lost key players Luka Lochoshvili (1. FC Köln, for around 4.9 million euros), Fabio Gruber (Mainz 05, for around 3.5 million euros), and Tom Baack (SC Paderborn, free transfer). There have also been some solid signings, including Rayan Ghrieb from Magdeburg (for around 600,000 euros), promising youngster Alexios Kalogeropoulos (Olympiacos, free transfer), Fynn Otto (SC Verl, free transfer), and several other interesting players.
The 26/27 2. Bundesliga season has the potential to finally demonstrate the results of years of hard work and the trust placed in Miroslav Klose; while it may be too early to talk about strong chances for promotion, finishing among the top three is entirely possible.
Starting match: 1. FC Nürnberg vs SG Dynamo Dresden, Sunday, August 9.
SV Darmstadt 98
Darmstadt’s story is similar to Hannover’s in the 25/26 2. Bundesliga season, although SVD fell out of contention for a top-three finish much earlier and finished fifth.
SV Darmstadt feature on this list largely on the assumption that they will be able to make some more significant moves in the transfer market. The main headache is the loss of Isac Lidberg (Borussia Mönchengladbach, for around €3.5 million) and Fraser Hornby (VfL Wolfsburg, for around €4 million), as these two players were responsible for the majority of Darmstadt’s goals last season. In addition, Sergio López (Granada) and Killian Corredor (FC Nantes, for around €2 million) have also left.
SV Darmstadt decided to focus heavily on signings from the Netherlands, bringing in Ibrahim El Kadiri (De Graafschap, for around 525,000 euros), Nicolas Verkooijen (PSV, free transfer) and Lance Duijvestijn (Sparta Rotterdam). In addition, the club has signed players who are well acquainted with the 2. Bundesliga: Florian Kleinhansl (1. FC Kaiserslautern, free transfer), Noah Weißhaupt (who played for Hannover 96 last season on loan from SC Freiburg) and Christopher Lannert (Arminia Bielefeld).
SV Darmstadt will have to work hard to be in contention for promotion again, as they were last season, but the team still has time to strengthen its squad and join the race.
Starting match: SV Darmstadt 98 vs Holstein Kiel, Saturday, August 8.
Teams that could also be in contention for a top-five finish
- 1. FC Kaiserslautern
- 1. FC Magdeburg
- VfL Bochum
The Battle for Survival
Eintracht Braunschweig
Eintracht Braunschweig have finished 15th in three of their last four 2. Bundesliga seasons, and it does not look as though this trend will change.
Ahead of the 26/27 2. Bundesliga season, Eintracht signed several free agents: Samuele Di Benedetto (VfB Stuttgart II), Frederik Jäkel (RB Leipzig), and Benjamin Uphoff (Hansa Rostock). Permanent transfers included Florian Flick (1. FC Nürnberg, bought out after a loan for around 250,000 euros), Maximilian Entrup (LASK, for around 200,000 euros), Junior Zé (FC Basel), and several other players. In addition, Noah Katterbach (HSV) and Jan Urbich (Borussia Mönchengladbach) have been signed on loan.
There haven’t been any major outgoing transfers from Braunschweig yet, but the lack of reinforcements makes it unlikely that the team will make significant progress in the new season.
Starting match: 1. FC Magdeburg vs Eintracht Braunschweig, Saturday, August 8.
SpVgg Greuther Fürth
Last season, Greuther Fürth was in danger of relegation for a long time, but a strong finish and a 3:0 rout of their main rival, Fortuna Düsseldorf, in the final matchday allowed them to climb into the playoff zone and defeat Rot-Weiss Essen there (0:1, 2:0).
Greuther Fürth’s main challenge ahead of the start of the 26/27 2. Bundesliga season is strengthening its attack. The fact is that after last season ended, Fürth lost its leading scorer, Noel Futkeu (to Eintracht Frankfurt for around 1.3 million euros), and club legend Branimir Hrgota (to FC St. Pauli on a free transfer). In addition, several defenders have left the team: Reno Münz (KVC Westerlo, for around 1.3 million euros), Maximilian Dietz (Górnik Zabrze), and a few other players.
However, Greuther Fürth also made some signings. First and foremost, they managed to retain Paul Will (SV Darmstadt, bought out from loan for around 600,000 euros), signed free agent Shinta Appelkamp (Fortuna Düsseldorf), and secured several quality loan signings: Florian Hellstern (VfB Stuttgart) — a player Fürth won the race for against several other 2. Bundesliga clubs, Mika Wallentowitz (Schalke 04), and Krisztián Keresztes (Nyíregyháza). Maxim Dal (Mainz 05), Jannis Heuer (1. FC Kaiserslautern), and several other quality players have also joined the team on a permanent deal.
Heiko Vogel’s team will most likely not be in contention for anything higher than the upper half of the second half of the standings, and to avoid having to fight to stay in the league again, they need to remain active in the transfer market.
Starting match: FC St. Pauli vs SpVgg Greuther Fürth, Sunday, August 9.
Hertha BSC
For Hertha BSC, last season was a real rollercoaster ride: initially, Stefan Leitl’s side were languishing at the bottom of the table, but later staged an incredible run and threw themselves into the promotion race. A run of poor results prevented them from challenging for a top-three finish, culminating in a 6:1 defeat to Arminia Bielefeld on the final matchday.
The 6:1 loss was not only a painful blow at the end of the season (even though the match no longer had any bearing on the standings), but also marked the beginning of the team’s rebuilding process. Berlin’s main problem over the past few seasons has been the club’s financial situation; in fact, due to its large debt, Hertha might not even have received a license for the 26/27 2. Bundesliga season.
Work to rebuild the budget began this summer, as Leitl’s team lost several key players at once, including captain Fabian Reese (VfL Wolfsburg, for around 8 million euros), young talent Kennet Eichhorn (Bayer Leverkusen, for around 9 million euros), goalkeeper Tjark Ernst (Feyenoord, for around 5 million euros), midfielder Michaël Cuisance (RC Lens, for around 3.5 million euros), and several other.
The situation with incoming transfers also looks very bleak, as Hertha BSC remained the only professional team in Germany that hadn’t signed a single player for quite some time, until Oluwaseun Adewumi (FC Burnley) joined on loan.
The 26/27 2. Bundesliga season is set to be a crucial one for Hertha BSC in terms of the team’s future prospects. Reinforcements in the transfer market are being sought mainly on loan or from free agents. Retaining their place in the 2. Bundesliga next season would be a success for the Alte Dame.
Starting match: VfL Bochum vs Hertha BSC, Friday, August 7.
Energie Cottbus
Energie Cottbus are returning to the 2. Bundesliga for the first time since the 13/14 season. The club performed well in last season’s 3. Liga and secured automatic promotion by finishing second.
Energie’s management have already been busy in the transfer market, particularly when it comes to free agents. Leonardo Bittencourt (SV Werder Bremen) has returned — a 32-year-old midfielder with a wealth of Bundesliga experience, who is returning home after 14 years. Marcel Lotka and King Manu (Fortuna Düsseldorf), Julian Guttau and Ryan Malone (Erzgebirge Aue), and several other players have also joined Cottbus.
However, there have also been some painful departures, such as Nyamekye Awortwie-Grant (SC Paderborn, free transfer) and Can Moustfa (1. FC Nürnberg), who played a key role in the team’s promotion.
Energie may well remain in the 2. Bundesliga, but it will be possible to draw some initial conclusions after just five matchdays, when it will become clear whether they can cope with the pressure of the new division.
Starting match: Energie Cottbus vs Hannover 96, Sunday, August 9.
VfL Osnabrück
VfL Osnabrück won the 3. Liga title last season and returned to the 2. Bundesliga after two seasons. The team struggled in their first season back from relegation to the third division (finishing 14th), but dominated their opponents in their second season, remaining in first place for the final nine matchdays.
The main summer signing is Robin Meissner (SG Dynamo Dresden, bought outright following a loan for around 200,000 euros), who was last season’s top scorer with 14 goals. The club also signed Leonhard Münst (for around 100,000 euros) from Viktoria Köln and Konrad Faber (FC St. Gallen). The remaining signings are free agents and two loan signings. Among them are: Luca Raimund (Fortuna Düsseldorf, free transfer), Jonas Krumrey (on loan from Holstein Kiel) and Leon Opitz (on loan from SV Werder Bremen).
The biggest loss is probably Lars Kehl, who moved to a rival club in Darmstadt as a free agent, but this may not be the end of it, as there are very strong rumors circulating about 20-year-old Ismail Badjie, who is attracting interest from Germany and abroad.
Osnabrück’s situation is similar to that of Energie Cottbus; much will depend on the opening matches and how the team settles into the new division.
Starting match: 1. FC Heidenheim vs VfL Osnabrück, Sunday, August 8.
Teams that may also be fighting for survival
- SG Dynamo Dresden;
- Arminia Bielefeld.
