The draw for the Round-of-16 of the 2026/27 DFB-Pokal took place at the German Football Museum in Dortmund on Sunday evening, producing several enticing encounters. Chief among them shall be a showdown between the top Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga teams.
Bayern Munich host unbeaten Hertha BSC
The defending champions remain on course to retain the trophy they won against Stuttgart in May. Bayern cruised through the second round with an emphatic 6-1 victory over 1. FC Magdeburg, avoiding any repeat of the famous 2000/01 cup upset in which the eastern German club eliminated the Bavarians on penalties.
Hertha BSC have cruised to undefeated start to the 2026/27 2. Bundesliga campaign and are setting the pace at the top of the table. The Berliners have also navigated their opening two cup fixtures, most recently dispatching Regionalliga outfit SSV Jeddeloh II 2-0.
There is also recent DFB-Pokal history between the two sides.
The clubs last met in the competition’s round of 16 in February 2019, when Hertha pushed Bayern all the way to extra time at Berlin’s Olympiastadion. Maximilian Mittelstädt opened the scoring after just three minutes before Serge Gnabry struck twice for the visitors. Davie Selke’s second-half equaliser made it 2-2, but Kingsley Coman eventually headed home the decisive goal in the 98th minute.
Bayern went on to lift the trophy that season, defeating RB Leipzig 3-0 in the final.
Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund revisit the 2017 final
The draw has also produced a rematch of the 2017 DFB-Pokal final, with Borussia Dortmund travelling to Eintracht Frankfurt. That evening in Berlin remains one of the more memorable recent meetings between the two clubs. Thomas Tuchel’s Dortmund defeated Niko Kovac’s Frankfurt 2-1. Frankfurt subsequently enjoyed considerably more success in the competition, defeating Bayern Munich in the 2018 final under Kovac.
The Hessen now have another opportunity to overcome Dortmund in front of their own supporters, though reaction at the Waldstadion on Sunday night wasn’t exactly the most enthusiastic. News that Eintracht would be hosting Dortmund was conveyed to the crowd shortly after the full-time whistle blew in Sunday’s Bundesliga victory over Hamburg. A collective sigh could be heard from the SGE ultra block.
Adi Hütter’s team advanced to the last 16 with a 3-1 victory away to Hamburger SV. Frankfurt subsequently beat HSV by precisely the same scoreline in Sunday’s immediate Bundesliga rematch, providing a welcome boost following a difficult opening stretch of the season. Dortmund’s progression was considerably more dramatic. Niko Kovac’s side edged Werder Bremen 3-2 in the second round, with Marcel Sabitzer providing a late winner.
Kaiserslautern welcome Freiburg for a Betzenberg reunion
A particularly attractive encounter awaits at the Fritz-Walter-Stadion, where 1. FC Kaiserslautern will host SC Freiburg. The tie brings together two clubs with substantial DFB-Pokal histories and revives memories of an entertaining first-round meeting in July 2022.
On that occasion, Kaiserslautern appeared poised to eliminate their Bundesliga opponents after taking a first-half lead through Marlon Ritter. Freiburg eventually rescued themselves when Rolland Sallai equalised in the 82nd minute, before Ritsu Doan scored a spectacular extra-time free kick to secure a 2-1 victory.
Freiburg’s narrow escape came against a Lautern side newly promoted to the 2. Bundesliga. The result also represented a test of character for Christian Streich’s team, which had reached the Pokal final just two months earlier. The Red Devils have subsequently experienced their own memorable cup run, reaching the 2024 final before losing 1-0 to Bayer Leverkusen.
Freiburg, meanwhile, have already survived one dramatic encounter in this season’s competition. As Get German Football News documented in its firsthand match report and player ratings, Julian Schuster’s side overcame a 1-2 halftime deficit against VfL Wolfsburg in the second round, with Japanese striker Keisuke Goto scoring twice after coming off the bench.
Kaiserslautern advanced by defeating Hannover 96, setting up another opportunity for their supporters to transform the Betzenberg into one of the competition’s most intimidating venues. The pairing also represents a meeting between two different historical periods of German cup football. Kaiserslautern lifted the trophy in 1990 and 1996, while Freiburg are still seeking their first DFB-Pokal triumph.
Bayer Leverkusen host Leipzig in heavyweight clash
Another of the draw’s standout fixtures sees Bayer Leverkusen welcome RB Leipzig to the BayArena. The encounter brings together two clubs that have lifted the trophy in recent years. Leipzig won consecutive DFB-Pokal titles in 2022 and 2023, while Leverkusen completed their historic unbeaten domestic double by defeating Kaiserslautern in the 2024 final.
Both clubs have since remained regular contenders in Germany’s domestic cup competition. Leverkusen advanced to the last 16 with a victory over 1. FC Nürnberg, while Leipzig eliminated third-division Rot-Weiss Essen in a hard-fought second-round contest.
The draw is especially unforgiving for two Bundesliga sides with serious ambitions of another deep cup run. Leipzig were eliminated by eventual champions Bayern Munich in last season’s quarterfinals, while Leverkusen reached the semifinals before falling to the Bavarians.
Stuttgart face Dynamo Dresden after overcoming Paderborn
Last season’s runners-up VfB Stuttgart have been rewarded with a home fixture against Dynamo Dresden. Stuttgart’s 2025/26 cup campaign ended in disappointment when Bayern Munich defeated them in the final. The Swabians will now hope to return to Berlin and go one step further. Their progression through the current competition has already required a difficult assignment against Bundesliga newcomers SC Paderborn 07.
Dresden, meanwhile, earned their place in the last 16 with a notable victory over Schalke 04, eliminating the Bundesliga club in the second round. Although Stuttgart will enter the encounter as favourites, Dresden’s success against top-flight opposition provides ample warning against underestimating the visitors.
Bochum and Augsburg renew acquaintances after last season’s cup upset
Perhaps the most intriguing rematch involving a second-division club will take place at the Ruhrstadion, where VfL Bochum host FC Augsburg. The two sides also met in the second round of the 2025/26 competition, when Bochum stunned Sandro Wagner’s Bundesliga outfit with a 1-0 victory at the WWK Arena.
Augsburg have now been handed an immediate opportunity to avenge that elimination, albeit with the additional challenge of travelling to Bochum. The hosts reached this season’s round of 16 by eliminating Mainz 05, while Augsburg progressed with a 4-2 victory over SG Sonnenhof Großaspach covered by GGFN.
Bochum will be hoping that history repeats itself against another Bundesliga opponent.
Gladbach host Darmstadt, Kiel welcome Cologne
Two further ties complete the round-of-16 draw. Borussia Mönchengladbach host SV Darmstadt 98 after eliminating Karlsruher SC in the previous round. Darmstadt, meanwhile, defeated newly promoted Bundesliga side SV Elversberg to advance. Holstein Kiel will face 1. FC Cologne in another encounter between clubs from Germany’s top two divisions.
Kiel knocked out Bundesliga side Hoffenheim in the second round, while Cologne produced one of the round’s most emphatic results with a 5-0 demolition of Union Berlin. The eight encounters will take place on December 1 and 2, with the quarterfinals scheduled for February 2027 and the semifinals following in April. The 2026/27 competition concludes with the final at Berlin’s Olympiastadion on May 29, 2027.
Full DFB-Pokal round-of-16 draw
Bayern Munich – Hertha BSC
Eintracht Frankfurt – Borussia Dortmund
1. FC Kaiserslautern – SC Freiburg
Bayer Leverkusen – RB Leipzig
VfB Stuttgart – Dynamo Dresden
VfL Bochum – FC Augsburg
Borussia Mönchengladbach – SV Darmstadt 98
Holstein Kiel – 1. FC Cologne
