Bundesliga: Everything you need to know about Germany's new football season

The 2026-27 Bundesliga season commences on August 28 with defending champions Bayern Munich hosting Stuttgart at their home stadium. Borussia Dortmund will face Hamburg, while Elversberg, a new addition to the league, will kick off their campaign at home against Bayer Leverkusen. The Women's Bundesliga commenced on August 21, as Bayern Munich secured a victory over Union Berlin in the capital city.

Stuttgart and Mainz are among the new entrants this year, replacing relegated clubs Carl Zeiss Jena and Essen. As customary in Germany, the men's domestic season truly begins with the first round of the German Cup, which began the week prior to the league season. A notable upset in the opening round was Heidenheim's loss to fourth-division team Jeddeloh, who had previously played in the Bundesliga the year before.

Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will have to postpone their first round games due to their participation in the German Super Cup, the match between the previous season's league and cup winners. Bayern Munich triumphed in this game, while Dortmund will play their first round fixture later in the season.

The first Klassiker of the new Bundesliga season will be held at the end of October, with the match taking place in Munich. Following the 14th game of the season on December 20, a winter break will commence. The league will resume play on the weekend of January 8 and will feature midweek games immediately thereafter.

Several new rules implemented at the World Cup will be applied in the Bundesliga this season. These include the use of a five-second countdown for goal kicks and throw-ins by referees, with a corner awarded to the opposing team if the limit is exceeded. If a substitute fails to leave the pitch within 10 seconds, they will have to wait until a break in play before returning to the field.

VAR will also have a role in second yellow cards and corner kicks. If a player obstructs an opponent by covering their mouth, they may receive a yellow card – a punishment previously reserved for red cards.

Scheduled hydration breaks will not be introduced, regardless of weather conditions. Instead, a longer international break has been scheduled, with September and October's breaks merging into a three-week hiatus from September 24 to October 4. This results in 16 days of respite for Bundesliga action. The November international break will still consist of a nine-day interruption.

Several notable signings have been made this summer, with Bayern Munich acquiring breakout wingback Nathaniel Brown from Frankfurt and Moroccan striker Ismael Saibari as a strong backup for Harry Kane. Borussia Dortmund secured Konstantinos Karetsas for €30 million ($34.6 million) from KRC Genk. Hoffenheim welcomed 18-year-old holding midfielder Nathan De Cat, while Leverkusen brought in Portuguese winger Afonso Moreira for €32 million.

Other transfers include Freiburg's new goalkeeper Mio Backhaus, who moved from Werder Bremen, and Noah Atubolu's arrival at Frankfurt. Reigan, the son of former England striker Emile Heskey, signed with Cologne, and Robin Gosens returns to Germany to play for Schalke's newly promoted team.

A few teams have decided to leave the league this season. Leon Goretzka is reportedly on the verge of joining Premier League side Aston Villa, having left Bayern Munich at the end of his contract. Former Dortmund defender Niklas Süle has retired, opting to play for fun in lower leagues. Julian Brandt moved to Ajax on a Bosman transfer, while Bazoumana Toure left Hoffenheim for Premier League club Newcastle for a reported €50 million.

This is the first time since 2012 that three new teams will join the Bundesliga. Elversberg becomes the 59th club in the league's history, while Schalke returns after a three-year absence. Paderborn won the playoff to also return after six years in the second division. Wolfsburg suffered its first-ever relegation, while St. Pauli and Heidenheim were also relegated.

Four coaching changes will take place for the new season. Marie-Louise Eta, who was only a caretaker manager at Union Berlin, has been replaced full-time by Swiss Mauro Lustrinelli. Albert Riera's tenure at Eintracht Frankfurt has come to an end, with Adi Hütter returning to the club he last managed in 2021. Bayer Leverkusen replaced Kasper Hjulmand with Carles Martinez Novell, who last coached at Toulouse.

The most significant coaching news is Martin Demichelis taking over at RB Leipzig for Ole Werner, who was dismissed despite leading the club to third place last season. Hamburg has welcomed Kathleen Krüger as their new Head of Sport, marking her as the first woman to hold this position in the club's history.