The 2025-26 Bundesliga marks the 63rd season of Germany’s top football league, kicking off on 22 August 2025 and wrapping up on 16 May 2026.
Eighteen teams from across the country are battling it out, with Hamburger SV and 1. FC Köln is making its return to the top tier after a long absence.
This report provides a comprehensive overview of the 18 clubs, their current managerial leadership, stadium infrastructure, and competitive standings.
The Bundesliga is one of Europe’s top soccer leagues and is currently ranked fourth in the European league coefficient, behind the Premier League (England), Serie A (Italy), and La Liga (Spain).
2025-26 Bundesliga Teams, Stadiums & Standings
The 2025-26 Bundesliga comprises 18 clubs spread across German cities, ranging from Bavaria to the North Sea coast.
Two promoted teams—Hamburger SV (returning after 7 years) and 1. FC Köln (returning after 1 year)—have replaced Holstein Kiel and VfL Bochum. Total average attendance in the league is expected to exceed 40,000 per match, marking a recovery from 2024–25’s average of 38,652.
| Team | Location | Stadium | Capacity | Stadium Opened |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bayern Munich | Munich | Allianz Arena | 75,000 | 30 May 2005 |
| Borussia Dortmund | Dortmund | Signal Iduna Park | 81,365 | 2 April 1974 |
| VfB Stuttgart | Stuttgart | MHPArena | 60,058 | 23 July 1933 |
| Eintracht Frankfurt | Frankfurt | Deutsche Bank Park | 58,000 | 21 May 1925 |
| Hamburger SV | Hamburg | Volksparkstadion | 57,000 | 12 July 1953 |
| Borussia Mönchengladbach | Mönchengladbach | Borussia-Park | 54,042 | 30 July 2004 |
| 1. FC Köln | Cologne | RheinEnergieStadion | 49,698 | 16 September 1923 |
| RB Leipzig | Leipzig | Red Bull Arena | 47,800 | 17 November 2004 |
| Werder Bremen | Bremen | Weserstadion | 42,100 | 11 May 1947 |
| TSG Hoffenheim | Sinsheim | PreZero Arena | 30,150 | 24 January 2009 |
| Bayer Leverkusen | Leverkusen | BayArena | 30,210 | 2 August 1958 |
| Augsburg | Augsburg | WWK Arena | 30,660 | 26 July 2009 |
| FC St. Pauli | Hamburg | Millerntor-Stadion | 29,546 | 1963 |
| VfL Wolfsburg | Wolfsburg | Volkswagen Arena | 28,917 | 13 December 2002 |
| Mainz 05 | Mainz | Mewa Arena | 33,305 | 3 July 2011 |
| Union Berlin | Berlin | Stadion An der Alten Försterei | 22,012 | 7 August 1920 |
| SC Freiburg | Freiburg im Breisgau | Europa-Park Stadion | 34,700 | 7 October 2021 |
| 1. FC Heidenheim | Heidenheim | Voith-Arena | 15,000 | 1972 |
Notable Stadium Features in 2025-26 Bundesliga
Signal Iduna Park (Borussia Dortmund) is Germany’s largest stadium with a capacity of 81,365 spectators. Its centerpiece, the Yellow Wall, is Europe’s largest terrace, holding over 24,000 supporters. The stadium’s unique atmosphere—featuring elaborate tifos and the pre-match “You’ll Never Walk Alone” tradition—makes it a pilgrimage site for European football enthusiasts.
Allianz Arena (Bayern Munich) opened in 2005 and has hosted every Bayern home match since January 2007 due to continuous sold-out status. The stadium is architecturally iconic, featuring its distinctive inflated ETFE plastic exterior and three tiers of 75,000 seats. Beyond club matches, it hosted matches from UEFA Euro 2024, the 2025 UEFA Nations League final, and the 2025 UEFA Champions League final (Paris Saint-Germain vs. Inter Milan).
Europa-Park Stadion (SC Freiburg) is among the world’s most environmentally sustainable stadiums, featuring integrated solar panels, e-bike charging stations, and an ambitious goal to become climate-neutral. The stadium produces its own energy and recycled over 91% of materials used during operations.
Voith-Arena (1. FC Heidenheim) represents the opposite end of the spectrum—at just 15,000 capacity, it is the smallest stadium in the Bundesliga and also the highest in German professional football at 555 meters altitude. Despite its modest size, the ground’s intimacy (with stands only 6 meters from the pitch) creates an intense matchday atmosphere.
Managerial Leadership
The 2025-26 Bundesliga witnessed significant managerial transitions ahead of and during the campaign. The following table documents all 18 club managers as confirmed by the campaign start:
| Team | Manager | Captain |
|---|---|---|
| Bayern Munich | Vincent Kompay | Manuel Neuer |
| Borussia Dortmund | Niko Kovač | Emre Can |
| VfB Stuttgart | Sebastian Hoeneß | Atakan Karazor |
| Eintracht Frankfurt | Dino Toppmöller | Robin Koch |
| Hamburger SV | Merlin Polzin | Yussuf Poulsen |
| Borussia Mönchengladbach | Eugen Polanski | Tim Kleindienst |
| 1. FC Köln | Lukas Kwasniok | Marvin Schwäbe |
| RB Leipzig | Ole Werner | David Raum |
| Werder Bremen | Horst Steffen | Marco Friedl |
| TSG Hoffenheim | Christian Ilzer | Oliver Baumann |
| Bayer Leverkusen | Kasper Hjulmand | Robert Andrich |
| FC Augsburg | Manuel Baum (interim) | Jeffrey Gouweleeuw |
| FC St. Pauli | Alexander Blessin | Jackson Irvine |
| VfL Wolfsburg | Daniel Bauer (interim) | Maximilian Arnold |
| Mainz 05 | Benjamin Hoffmann (interim) | Silvan Widmer |
| Union Berlin | Steffen Baumgart | Christopher Trimmel |
| SC Freiburg | Julian Schuster | Christian Günter |
| 1. FC Heidenheim | Frank Schmidt | Patrick Mainka |
Notable Managerial Developments
Erik ten Hag was appointed Bayer Leverkusen manager ahead of the season on 26 May 2025, but was dismissed after just six weeks on 1 September 2025 following a run of poor results that left the club in 12th place. Kasper Hjulmand, the former Denmark national team coach, was subsequently appointed to stabilize the club’s campaign.
Xabi Alonso, who led Leverkusen to the 2023–24 Bundesliga title (their first in 11 years) and a DFB-Pokal triumph, departed by mutual consent on 30 June 2025. His successor, ten Hag, was unable to maintain the club’s momentum and was replaced after a short tenure.
Ole Werner moved from Werder Bremen to RB Leipzig as head coach, replacing Zsolt Lőw following the latter’s interim spell. Werner’s tenure at Bremen had seen the club rise from 13th place (when he arrived in May 2022) to 8th place in 2023–24, but he was subsequently sacked on 27 May 2025.
Managerial In-Season Changes reflect ongoing competitive pressures: Gerardo Seoane (Borussia Mönchengladbach) was dismissed on 15 September 2025, Paul Simonis (VfL Wolfsburg) on 9 November 2025, Sandro Wagner (FC Augsburg) by mutual consent on 1 December 2025, and Bo Henriksen (Mainz 05) on 3 December 2025.
These changes underscore the league’s demanding standards, with underperforming sides seeking rapid tactical or philosophical shifts.
2025-26 Bundesliga Standings
As of 21 January 2026, Bayern Munich maintains dominant control of the league with 50 points from 16 wins and two draw, establishing a commanding 11-point lead over second-placed Borussia Dortmund.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bayern Munich | 18 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 71 | 14 | +57 | 50 |
| 2 | Borussia Dortmund | 18 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 35 | 17 | +18 | 39 |
| 3 | TSG Hoffenheim | 17 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 21 | +14 | 33 |
| 4 | VfB Stuttgart | 18 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 33 | 26 | +7 | 33 |
| 5 | RB Leipzig | 17 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 33 | 24 | +9 | 32 |
| 6 | Bayer Leverkusen | 17 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 34 | 25 | +9 | 29 |
| 7 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 38 | 39 | -1 | 27 |
| 8 | SC Freiburg | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 29 | 31 | -2 | 24 |
| 9 | Union Berlin | 18 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 24 | 27 | -3 | 24 |
| 10 | 1. FC Köln | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 27 | 30 | -3 | 20 |
| 11 | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 18 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 23 | 29 | -6 | 20 |
| 12 | VfL Wolfsburg | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 27 | 38 | -11 | 19 |
| 13 | Werder Bremen | 17 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 21 | 34 | -13 | 18 |
| 14 | Hamburger SV | 17 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 17 | 27 | -10 | 17 |
| 15 | FC Augsburg | 18 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 20 | 35 | -15 | 16 |
| 16 | 1. FC Heidenheim | 18 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 17 | 39 | -22 | 13 |
| 17 | Mainz 05 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 31 | -13 | 12 |
| 18 | FC St. Pauli | 17 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 16 | 31 | -15 | 12 |
2025-26 Bundesliga Season Statistics & Individual Honors
Top Goal Scorers
(as of 21 January 2026)
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harry Kane | Bayern Munich | 21 |
| 2 | Michael Olise | Bayern Munich | 10 |
| 3 | Deniz Undav | VfB Stuttgart | 10 |
| 4 | Jonathan Burkardt | Eintracht Frankfurt | 9 |
| 5 | Haris Tabaković | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 9 |
| 6 | Luis Díaz | Bayern Munich | 8 |
Clean Sheet Leaders
| Rank | Player | Club | Clean Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gregor Kobel | Gregor Kobel | 8 |
| 2 | Péter Gulácsi | RB Leipzig | 7 |
| 3 | Moritz Nicolas | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 6 |
| 3 | Alexander Nübel | VfB Stuttgart | 6 |
The 2025–26 Bundesliga season remains finely balanced between Bayern Munich’s clear title trajectory and a fiercely competitive field fighting for European positions and survival.