Overview
- DFB and DFL set the Bundesliga windows at 22 August–21 December 2025 for matchdays 1–15, a winter break to 9 January 2026, then 9 January–16 May 2026 for matchdays 16–34, with relegation ties scheduled for 21/22 and 25/26 May 2026.
- Sky retains around 80% of live Bundesliga coverage (Friday, Saturday afternoon including conference, and the Saturday night top game), DAZN streams all Sunday fixtures and adds a new Saturday afternoon conference, and Sat.1 shows selected free‑TV windows including the season opener, relegation and the Supercup; ARD, ZDF, RTL+ and Sport1 carry highlights.
- The 2. Bundesliga kicked off on 1 August 2025 and runs to mid‑May 2026, with all matches live on Sky, a free‑to‑air Saturday evening game on RTL, additional free‑TV windows on Sat.1, and highlights on ARD, ZDF and Sport1; MagentaSport remains the platform for every 3. Liga match.
- Club line‑ups are confirmed after 2024/25: 1. FC Köln and Hamburger SV were promoted, Holstein Kiel and VfL Bochum were relegated, 1. FC Heidenheim stayed up via the playoff, and SV Elversberg missed promotion.
- New match operations are in effect with goalkeepers allowed eight seconds of possession, a corner replacing the indirect free kick for violations and referees signaling the final five seconds, while public referee announcements after VAR interventions continue on a test basis.