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2. Bundesliga 2026/27: Season Preview

Schalke 04 stormed to the 2. Bundesliga title and an immediate return to the top flight, with SV Elversberg (first promotion ever) and play-off winners SC Paderborn joining them, while Wolfsburg, Heidenheim and St. Pauli arrive from the Bundesliga.

Kick-off
7 Aug 2026
Goals / Game (25/26)
2.93
Over 2.5 (25/26)
53.1%
Season
2026/27
2. Bundesliga 2026/27 Season Preview
2025/26 Final Table

How did last season finish?

Schalke 04 won the 2. Bundesliga with 70 points; Fortuna Dusseldorf and Preussen Munster were relegated to the 3. Liga.

Final Standings 2025/26

PosClubPtsGD
1Schalke 0470+19
2SV Elversberg62+25
3SC Paderborn62+14
4Hannover 9660+16
5Darmstadt 9852+12
61. FC Kaiserslautern52+5
7Hertha BSC51+3
81. FC Nurnberg46+2
9VfL Bochum44+2
10Karlsruher SC44-11
11Dynamo Dresden41+1
12Holstein Kiel41-4
13Arminia Bielefeld39+2
141. FC Magdeburg39-6
15Eintracht Braunschweig37-18
16Greuther Furth37-19
17Fortuna Dusseldorf37-20
18Preussen Munster30-23
Champions LeagueEuropa LeagueRelegated

2025/26 Season Statistics

Avg Goals / Game
306 matches played (2025/26)
2.93
Over 2.5 Goals
3+ goals in 53.1% of games
53.1%
Both Teams Score
BTTS in 52 of 100 games
52.3%
Home Win Rate
Based on 2025/26 home/away splits
40.9%

Schalke 04 secured an immediate return to the Bundesliga with 70 points, while SV Elversberg achieved the first top-flight promotion in the club's history in 2nd place. SC Paderborn won the promotion play-off to complete the trio moving up.

At the other end, Fortuna Dusseldorf and Preussen Munster were relegated to the 3. Liga, while Hannover 96 (4th) narrowly missed out on the play-off spot.

2026/27 Preview

What to expect in 2026/27?

Three fresh faces from the Bundesliga arrive to reshape a competitive second tier.

VfL Wolfsburg, 1. FC Heidenheim and FC St. Pauli drop down from the Bundesliga and immediately become three of the league's best-resourced clubs, while Hannover 96 and 1. FC Kaiserslautern will again push for promotion after near misses in 2025/26.

Hertha BSC and 1. FC Nurnberg round out a division regarded as one of the most competitive second tiers in Europe, with several clubs capable of a promotion push over the course of the campaign.

How to read predictions
1X2 — home / draw / away win probabilityOver 0.5 HT — at least 1 goal in first halfOver 2.5 FT — 3 or more total goalsBTTS — both teams score

Predictions derived from home/away goal averages via a Poisson model. Fair odds = 1 / probability, no margin.

Round 710 October 2026

Round 710 Oct · 11:30 UTC
VfL BochumVSArminia Bielefeld
VfL Bochum
49%
Fair 2.05
Draw
26%
Fair 3.85
Arminia Bielefeld
25%
Fair 3.96
xG 1.5 – 1
Over 0.5 HT
67%Fair 1.49
Over 2.5 FT
46%Fair 2.17
BTTS
49%Fair 2.04
Round 710 Oct · 11:30 UTC
Eintracht BraunschweigVSHolstein Kiel
Eintracht Braunschweig
39%
Fair 2.59
Draw
23%
Fair 4.37
Holstein Kiel
39%
Fair 2.59
xG 1.67 – 1.67
Over 0.5 HT
77%Fair 1.3
Over 2.5 FT
65%Fair 1.54
BTTS
66%Fair 1.52
Round 710 Oct · 11:30 UTC
1. FC HeidenheimVS1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. FC Heidenheim
60%
Fair 1.67
Draw
19%
Fair 5.18
1. FC Kaiserslautern
21%
Fair 4.78
xG 2.33 – 1.33
Over 0.5 HT
80%Fair 1.25
Over 2.5 FT
71%Fair 1.41
BTTS
66%Fair 1.52
Round 710 Oct · 11:30 UTC
Hertha BSCVSSpVgg Greuther Fürth
Hertha BSC
56%
Fair 1.78
Draw
20%
Fair 5.1
SpVgg Greuther Fürth
24%
Fair 4.13
xG 2.33 – 1.5
Over 0.5 HT
81%Fair 1.23
Over 2.5 FT
74%Fair 1.35
BTTS
70%Fair 1.43
Round 710 Oct · 11:30 UTC
SV Darmstadt 98VSEnergie Cottbus
SV Darmstadt 98
39%
Fair 2.55
Draw
22%
Fair 4.61
Energie Cottbus
39%
Fair 2.55
xG 1.83 – 1.83
Over 0.5 HT
80%Fair 1.25
Over 2.5 FT
71%Fair 1.41
BTTS
71%Fair 1.41
Round 710 Oct · 11:30 UTC
1. FC MagdeburgVSHannover 96
1. FC Magdeburg
46%
Fair 2.19
Draw
23%
Fair 4.43
Hannover 96
32%
Fair 3.15
xG 1.83 – 1.5
Over 0.5 HT
77%Fair 1.3
Over 2.5 FT
65%Fair 1.54
BTTS
65%Fair 1.54
Round 710 Oct · 11:30 UTC
VfL OsnabrückVSDynamo Dresden
VfL Osnabrück
46%
Fair 2.16
Draw
20%
Fair 5.1
Dynamo Dresden
34%
Fair 2.94
xG 2.33 – 2
Over 0.5 HT
85%Fair 1.18
Over 2.5 FT
81%Fair 1.23
BTTS
78%Fair 1.28
Round 710 Oct · 11:30 UTC
FC St. PauliVSKarlsruher SC
FC St. Pauli
35%
Fair 2.89
Draw
31%
Fair 3.24
Karlsruher SC
35%
Fair 2.89
xG 1 – 1
Over 0.5 HT
59%Fair 1.69
Over 2.5 FT
32%Fair 3.13
BTTS
40%Fair 2.5
Round 710 Oct · 11:30 UTC
1. FC NürnbergVSVfL Wolfsburg
1. FC Nürnberg
53%
Fair 1.89
Draw
22%
Fair 4.62
VfL Wolfsburg
25%
Fair 3.93
xG 2 – 1.33
Over 0.5 HT
77%Fair 1.3
Over 2.5 FT
65%Fair 1.54
BTTS
64%Fair 1.56

Round 817 October 2026

Round 817 Oct · 11:30 UTC
Energie CottbusVS1. FC Nürnberg
Energie Cottbus
36%
Fair 2.78
Draw
19%
Fair 5.23
1. FC Nürnberg
45%
Fair 2.22
xG 2.17 – 2.42
Over 0.5 HT
87%Fair 1.15
Over 2.5 FT
84%Fair 1.19
BTTS
81%Fair 1.23
Round 817 Oct · 11:30 UTC
Arminia BielefeldVSVfL Osnabrück
Arminia Bielefeld
55%
Fair 1.83
Draw
21%
Fair 4.75
VfL Osnabrück
24%
Fair 4.13
xG 2.08 – 1.33
Over 0.5 HT
78%Fair 1.28
Over 2.5 FT
66%Fair 1.52
BTTS
64%Fair 1.56
Round 817 Oct · 11:30 UTC
VfL WolfsburgVS1. FC Heidenheim
VfL Wolfsburg
63%
Fair 1.59
Draw
18%
Fair 5.51
1. FC Heidenheim
19%
Fair 5.27
xG 2.5 – 1.33
Over 0.5 HT
81%Fair 1.23
Over 2.5 FT
74%Fair 1.35
BTTS
68%Fair 1.47
Round 817 Oct · 11:30 UTC
SpVgg Greuther FürthVSEintracht Braunschweig
SpVgg Greuther Fürth
23%
Fair 4.33
Draw
20%
Fair 4.88
Eintracht Braunschweig
56%
Fair 1.77
xG 1.33 – 2.17
Over 0.5 HT
79%Fair 1.27
Over 2.5 FT
68%Fair 1.47
BTTS
65%Fair 1.54
Round 817 Oct · 11:30 UTC
Hannover 96VSFC St. Pauli
Hannover 96
33%
Fair 3.01
Draw
23%
Fair 4.34
FC St. Pauli
44%
Fair 2.28
xG 1.5 – 1.75
Over 0.5 HT
76%Fair 1.32
Over 2.5 FT
63%Fair 1.59
BTTS
64%Fair 1.56
Round 817 Oct · 11:30 UTC
Holstein KielVSHertha BSC
Holstein Kiel
25%
Fair 3.99
Draw
20%
Fair 4.92
Hertha BSC
55%
Fair 1.83
xG 1.46 – 2.21
Over 0.5 HT
80%Fair 1.25
Over 2.5 FT
71%Fair 1.41
BTTS
68%Fair 1.47
Round 817 Oct · 11:30 UTC
1. FC KaiserslauternVSVfL Bochum
1. FC Kaiserslautern
38%
Fair 2.66
Draw
34%
Fair 2.92
VfL Bochum
28%
Fair 3.55
xG 0.92 – 0.75
Over 0.5 HT
52%Fair 1.92
Over 2.5 FT
23%Fair 4.35
BTTS
32%Fair 3.13
Round 817 Oct · 11:30 UTC
Karlsruher SCVSSV Darmstadt 98
Karlsruher SC
51%
Fair 1.96
Draw
22%
Fair 4.62
SV Darmstadt 98
27%
Fair 3.67
xG 2 – 1.42
Over 0.5 HT
78%Fair 1.28
Over 2.5 FT
66%Fair 1.52
BTTS
65%Fair 1.54
Round 817 Oct · 11:30 UTC
Dynamo DresdenVS1. FC Magdeburg
Dynamo Dresden
25%
Fair 3.96
Draw
26%
Fair 3.85
1. FC Magdeburg
49%
Fair 2.05
xG 1 – 1.5
Over 0.5 HT
67%Fair 1.49
Over 2.5 FT
46%Fair 2.17
BTTS
49%Fair 2.04

Round 924 October 2026

Round 924 Oct · 11:30 UTC
Eintracht BraunschweigVSHannover 96
Eintracht Braunschweig
35%
Fair 2.82
Draw
22%
Fair 4.5
Hannover 96
42%
Fair 2.36
xG 1.67 – 1.83
Over 0.5 HT
79%Fair 1.27
Over 2.5 FT
68%Fair 1.47
BTTS
68%Fair 1.47
Round 924 Oct · 11:30 UTC
SV Darmstadt 98VSFC St. Pauli
SV Darmstadt 98
39%
Fair 2.59
Draw
23%
Fair 4.37
FC St. Pauli
39%
Fair 2.59
xG 1.67 – 1.67
Over 0.5 HT
77%Fair 1.3
Over 2.5 FT
65%Fair 1.54
BTTS
66%Fair 1.52
Round 924 Oct · 11:30 UTC
VfL OsnabrückVSSpVgg Greuther Fürth
VfL Osnabrück
27%
Fair 3.77
Draw
21%
Fair 4.85
SpVgg Greuther Fürth
53%
Fair 1.89
xG 1.5 – 2.17
Over 0.5 HT
80%Fair 1.25
Over 2.5 FT
71%Fair 1.41
BTTS
69%Fair 1.45
Round 924 Oct · 11:30 UTC
1. FC MagdeburgVSKarlsruher SC
1. FC Magdeburg
38%
Fair 2.64
Draw
24%
Fair 4.12
Karlsruher SC
38%
Fair 2.64
xG 1.5 – 1.5
Over 0.5 HT
73%Fair 1.37
Over 2.5 FT
58%Fair 1.72
BTTS
60%Fair 1.67
Round 924 Oct · 11:30 UTC
1. FC NürnbergVS1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. FC Nürnberg
72%
Fair 1.39
Draw
18%
Fair 5.56
1. FC Kaiserslautern
10%
Fair 9.93
xG 2.17 – 0.67
Over 0.5 HT
71%Fair 1.41
Over 2.5 FT
54%Fair 1.85
BTTS
43%Fair 2.33
Round 924 Oct · 11:30 UTC
Holstein KielVSDynamo Dresden
Holstein Kiel
56%
Fair 1.79
Draw
19%
Fair 5.31
Dynamo Dresden
25%
Fair 3.97
xG 2.5 – 1.67
Over 0.5 HT
84%Fair 1.19
Over 2.5 FT
79%Fair 1.27
BTTS
74%Fair 1.35
Round 924 Oct · 11:30 UTC
Hertha BSCVSArminia Bielefeld
Hertha BSC
75%
Fair 1.33
Draw
14%
Fair 7
Arminia Bielefeld
11%
Fair 9.51
xG 2.83 – 1
Over 0.5 HT
81%Fair 1.23
Over 2.5 FT
74%Fair 1.35
BTTS
59%Fair 1.69
Round 924 Oct · 11:30 UTC
1. FC HeidenheimVSEnergie Cottbus
1. FC Heidenheim
53%
Fair 1.9
Draw
18%
Fair 5.67
Energie Cottbus
30%
Fair 3.36
xG 2.83 – 2.17
Over 0.5 HT
89%Fair 1.12
Over 2.5 FT
88%Fair 1.14
BTTS
83%Fair 1.2
Round 924 Oct · 11:30 UTC
VfL BochumVSVfL Wolfsburg
VfL Bochum
17%
Fair 6.06
Draw
26%
Fair 3.83
VfL Wolfsburg
57%
Fair 1.74
xG 0.67 – 1.5
Over 0.5 HT
62%Fair 1.61
Over 2.5 FT
37%Fair 2.7
BTTS
38%Fair 2.63

Predictions will be computed using the Poisson model from home/away goal averages once the 2026/27 season kicks off. For illustration only — not financial advice.

How predictions work

MatchPulse uses a Poisson-based model that converts each team's home and away goal-scoring and conceding averages into an expected goals (xG) projection for 1X2, Over/Under and BTTS markets. Once the 2026/27 season begins, this page updates automatically round by round with live standings and predictions.

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