Overview
- The 2025/26 2. Bundesliga season officially began on August 1 as FC Schalke 04 hosted Hertha BSC in Gelsenkirchen.
- Hertha BSC, regarded as a top promotion contender, strengthened its squad around captain Fabian Reese and new loanee Maurice Krattenmacher.
- Fortuna Düsseldorf under sporting director Klaus Allofs, VfL Bochum coached by Dieter Hecking and 1. FC Kaiserslautern led by Torsten Lieberknecht have all publicly declared promotion ambitions.
- Hannover 96, 1. FC Nürnberg and SpVgg Greuther Fürth conducted major summer rebuilds with numerous arrivals under new coaching regimes.
- In a first for the league, all opening fixtures are available live free on Sat.1 and via ran.de and Joyn to meet rising fan demand.