Hansa Rostock begins the third division season with an away game in Aue!

Hansa Rostock begins the third division season with an away game in Aue!

The third division in Germany is getting closer and the DFB has today published the schedule for the 2025/2026 season. Hansa Rostock, one of the league's leaders, will play away to Erzgebirge Aue on the first matchday. This will take place on August 2nd or 3rd and marks the starting signal for the return to the second division after Rostock narrowly missed relegation in fifth place last season. A good hand in the first few games could be crucial for promotion, especially considering that the first home game is the following week against Waldhof Mannheim. These could be exciting weeks for fans and the team, as NDR reports.

The full transcript of the schedule shows some interesting encounters in the first few months. Hansa Rostock will face FC Ingolstadt on August 22nd, followed by another highlight when they host TSG Hoffenheim II on August 29th. Particular explosiveness is also expected in the northern duel against promoted team TSV Havelse, which will take place on the fourth matchday. TSV Havelse plays its home games in the Eilenriedestadion in Hanover because their own arena does not meet the requirements.

Change of coach and new hopes

A look at the coaching benches shows changes. VfL Osnabrück, under the leadership of new coach Timo Schultz, will start on the first matchday against Alemannia Aachen. Schultz succeeds Marco Antwerp and is expected to bring a breath of fresh air into the Osnabrück line-up. Hansa Rostock is also struggling with a personnel shakeup after they completed their first training session without their top striker from last season. These changes could have a decisive influence on the outcome of the game in the first rounds.

Important provisions and framework conditions

The kick-off times are wide-ranging: games can kick off on Fridays from 7 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and Sundays at 1:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. For fans, this means that they can now prepare for various options to cheer on their team. In addition, the first two match days are exactly the same, which does not diminish the anticipation. The last matchday of the season will be played in Saarbrücken on May 16, 2026, with all ten games kicking off at the same time.

The teams in the third division are looking forward to the challenges ahead with confidence, especially the northern German representatives Hansa Rostock, VfL Osnabrück and TSV Havelse. Anyone who manages to find good form and prevail against the competition could end up reaping the fruits of their labor next season. It will soon become clear whether it will work for Hansa Rostock, Osnabrück or Havelse, as fc-hansa.de reports in detail.

After the 19th matchday on December 21st, there will be a winter break before the league gets rolling again on January 16th. Until then there is enough time to make preparations and prepare the fans for the best. We will keep you up to date on all developments in the 2025/2026 third division season!