Bundesliga Adjusts Schedule Due to 2026 FIFA World Cup
BERLIN – The German Bundesliga will experience a later start in 2026 due to the scheduling of the FIFA World Cup, impacting the league’s winter break and season finale. These adjustments, finalized by the german Football Association (DFB), aim to accommodate the expanded World Cup format and ensure adequate player rest and planning.
The Bundesliga’s winter break is set to begin on December 21st, 2026, and conclude on January 8th, 2027. The 2. Bundesliga will follow a slightly extended break, pausing from December 21st, 2026, to January 15th, 2027.All three of Germany’s top leagues will conclude their regular seasons on the weekend of May 22nd and 23rd, 2027.
Relegation playoffs between the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga teams are scheduled for May 27th/28th and May 31st/June 1st, 2027. The DFB-Pokal final will be held on May 29th, 2027, at the Berlin Olympic Stadium, maintaining it’s traditional scheduling.
Further adjustments include consolidating the first two international match windows into a single two-week period, running from September 21st to October 6th, 2026. A second international match window is planned for November 9th to 17th, 2026.
