The Bundesliga 2026-27 season kicks off on August 28, 2026, with 18 Bundesliga 2026-27 Teams set for another 34-matchday campaign. Bayern Munich begin their title defence against VfB Stuttgart, with the season running until May 22, 2027.
The new campaign features three promoted clubs joining Germany’s top flight. Schalke and Paderborn return to the Bundesliga, while Elversberg prepare for their first season in the division.
So, which teams will compete in Germany’s top division this season? Here is the complete list, along with the clubs promoted and relegated after the 2025/26 campaign.
Bundesliga 2026-27 Teams: Full List of 18 Clubs
The 2026/27 Bundesliga features 18 clubs competing across 34 matchdays. Bayern Munich enter as defending champions after finishing the previous campaign at the top.
The complete lineup is:
| No. | Team | 2026/27 Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FC Bayern Munich | Defending champions |
| 2 | Borussia Dortmund | Regular top-flight contender |
| 3 | Bayer Leverkusen | Top-tier competitor |
| 4 | RB Leipzig | Established first-division club |
| 5 | VfB Stuttgart | Opening the season away against Bayern |
| 6 | TSG 1899 Hoffenheim | Continuing in the top tier |
| 7 | Eintracht Frankfurt | Returning participant |
| 8 | SC Freiburg | Maintained top-flight status |
| 9 | FC Augsburg | Established Bundesliga side |
| 10 | 1. FSV Mainz 05 | Returning participant |
| 11 | 1. FC Union Berlin | Bundesliga competitor |
| 12 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | Traditional top-flight club |
| 13 | Hamburger SV | Participating in the top division |
| 14 | 1. FC Köln | Competing in the Bundesliga |
| 15 | SV Werder Bremen | Part of the 18-team lineup |
| 16 | FC Schalke 04 | Promoted to the Bundesliga |
| 17 | SV Elversberg | Newly promoted |
| 18 | SC Paderborn 07 | Promoted to the top tier |
Which Clubs Were Promoted in the Bundesliga 2026-27?
Three clubs earned places in the Bundesliga after the 2025/26 Bundesliga 2 season. Schalke won promotion, Elversberg finished second, and Paderborn secured the final spot through the relegation play-off.
First, Schalke return to Germany’s top division after three seasons in Bundesliga 2. Their promotion brings one of the country’s biggest traditional clubs back to the top flight.
Elversberg reached the biggest milestone in its history by qualifying for the Bundesliga. As a result, the club will play in Germany’s top division for the first time in 2026/27.
Paderborn, meanwhile, completed the promoted trio after winning their play-off against Wolfsburg. Their return adds another club with previous Bundesliga experience to the new campaign.
Overall, the three promoted sides bring different stories into the new season. While Schalke and Paderborn know the Bundesliga, Elversberg face an entirely new challenge.
Which Clubs Were Relegated in the Bundesliga 2026-27?
Three clubs dropped from the Bundesliga at the end of the 2025/26 season. VfL Wolfsburg, 1. FC Heidenheim, and FC St. Pauli will compete in the second tier during the 2026/27 campaign.
VfL Wolfsburg were relegated after losing the promotion/relegation play-offs. Their defeat ended a long spell in Germany’s top division.
1. FC Heidenheim also dropped into Bundesliga 2 after spending three seasons in the top flight. Their relegation brings an end to their three-year run among Germany’s elite.
FC St. Pauli return to the second tier after a two-year stay in the Bundesliga. The club now begins the 2026/27 campaign outside Germany’s top flight.
When Does the Bundesliga 2026-27 Season Start?
The Bundesliga 2026/27 season begins on Friday, August 28, 2026. The final matchday is scheduled for Saturday, May 22, 2027.
Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart will play the opening match at the Allianz Arena. Kick-off is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. CEST.
For viewers in India, the match starts at midnight IST on August 29. The 8:30 p.m. CEST kick-off converts to 12:00 a.m. IST.
The later start follows the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which concluded on July 19. The Bundesliga calendar was adjusted around the tournament.
The league will also pause for its winter break after Matchday 14. Bundesliga fixtures resume on January 8, 2027.
What Is New in the Bundesliga This Season?
The new Bundesliga season brings several changes, including a new club, two renamed stadiums, a new match ball, rule changes, fewer autumn international breaks, and a new league identity.
Elversberg are the newest addition after securing promotion to Germany’s top flight. The club becomes the 59th team in Bundesliga history and the smallest, with the municipality of Spiesen-Elversberg having around 13,000 residents.
Schalke and Paderborn also return to the top tier after their respective promotion campaigns.
There are also changes around the league. Elversberg’s URSAPHARM-Arena will host Bundesliga football for the first time, while Borussia Mönchengladbach and Hoffenheim have renamed their stadiums Ista Borussia-Park and SNP Arena.
adidas also returns as the official match-ball supplier for the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2, replacing DERBYSTAR.
The new rules include an eight-second limit for goalkeepers, with referees also counting down the final five seconds for goal-kicks and throw-ins.
Substitutions will have time limits, while players receiving on-field treatment must remain off the pitch for one minute. VAR will also cover second-yellow-card incidents, corner-kick decisions and mistaken identity under the new framework.
The international calendar will also change, with two autumn breaks instead of three. Bundesliga action will pause for 16 days from late September to early October, while the November break remains nine days.
Finally, the league association will operate exclusively under the Bundesliga brand, replacing the DFL name for a more unified international identity.
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Conclusion
The 2026/27 Bundesliga lineup features 18 clubs, with Schalke, Elversberg, and Paderborn joining from the second tier. Wolfsburg, Heidenheim, and St. Pauli move into Bundesliga 2 after the previous campaign.
Bayern Munich begin as defending champions, while established clubs such as Dortmund, Leipzig, Stuttgart, and Leverkusen remain among the teams to watch.
Get ready for the action, back your favourite teams, and don’t miss a moment of the Bundesliga 2026/27 season.
