The 2025-26 Bundesliga season has concluded, setting the stage for upcoming events in German football. Freiburg has secured a spot in the UEFA Conference League for the next season and is preparing for the 2026 Europa League final against Aston Villa in Istanbul on May 20. Bayern Munich, the national title holders, are looking ahead to the German Cup final against Stuttgart on May 23.
Despite setting league records and individual achievements, Bayern Munich aims to make the season a success by clinching the domestic double after their UEFA Champions League semifinal loss to Paris Saint-Germain. VfB Stuttgart, the 2025 German Cup winners, have qualified for the Champions League for the second time in three years, with head coach Sebastian Hoeness in contention for the best coach award alongside Bayern’s Vincent Kompany.
Dortmund and Leipzig have secured Champions League spots, but they remain in the shadows compared to Bayern and Stuttgart. For Stuttgart, finishing above rivals like Hoffenheim and Leverkusen in the league standings is a significant accomplishment. The upcoming cup final against Bayern Munich presents a tough challenge as they enter as underdogs.
Relegated teams Heidenheim and St. Pauli are considered among the season’s disappointments, with Leverkusen missing out on the Champions League. Wolfsburg, despite securing 16th place in a tense relegation battle, faces nerve-wracking relegation playoffs against the third-placed team from the second division. Coaches like Leverkusen’s Kasper Hjulmand and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Albert Riera are reportedly facing dismissals, while others like Augsburg’s Manuel Baum, Cologne’s Rene Wagner, and St. Pauli’s Alexander Blessin are in uncertain positions.
Eintracht Frankfurt, the struggling 2021 Europa League winners, have faced setbacks under coach Albert Riera, failing to qualify for any European competitions next season.
