DFB Cup draw: Dortmund meets lower-class opponents!

DFB Cup draw: Dortmund meets lower-class opponents!

A big event is coming up – the draw for the first main round of the DFB Cup! The 64 participants will enter the tournament on Sunday, June 15, 2025. From 5:15 p.m., fans can look forward to the exciting draw live on ZDF, which will take place in the German Football Museum in Dortmund. The celebrity lottery ticket is none other than Owen Ansah, the first German to run the 100 meters under 10 seconds.

This draw has it all! All first and second division teams as well as the first four clubs from last season's third division are taking part. In addition, all state cup winners are in the starting blocks and will be drawn into two draw pots. The Bundesliga teams and the 14 best second division teams are in the first draw pot, while the respective home games of the lower-class opponents are recorded in the second draw pot. Borussia Dortmund will definitely have to play away against one of the lower-class teams.

The participants and lottery pots

A total of 64 clubs will compete in the first main round, including the league's heavyweights. The division stipulates that the teams from the first draw pot, consisting of 18 Bundesliga teams, the 14 best second division teams of the 2024/25 season and 24 representatives of the regional associations, enjoy home rights. The remaining teams are in the second draw pot, and can then use the chance to challenge the big names in front of their own audience.

• Erster Lostopf:
• 18 Bundesligisten
• 14 beste Zweitligisten
• Plätze 15-18 der 2. Bundesliga
• 4 beste Mannschaften der 3. Liga 2024/25
• 24 Vertreter der Landesverbände

• Zweiter Lostopf:
• Restliche Teams mit Heimrecht

Important dates

The first main round of the DFB Cup will take place between August 15 and 18, 2025. For many first division clubs, this will be their first competitive appearance of the new season, while big names such as FC Bayern Munich and defending champions VfB Stuttgart will get in later as they play for the Franz Beckenbauer Cup on August 16, 2025.

There is a comprehensive program for the fans in the well-filled calendars. The second main round will take place on the 28th/29th. October 2025, followed by the round of 16 games on October 2nd/3rd. December 2025. Next year, football fans can also look forward to the quarter-finals in February and the semi-finals in April before the grand final takes place in Berlin on May 23, 2026.

An exciting year of football is upon us and Sunday's draw is sure to have a few surprises in store. It remains to be seen whether Borussia Dortmund will face a favorite or a strong underdog at home - the anticipation is huge! [Merk's message] reports that ... and the sports show adds that ...