DFB-Frauen face Australia in an international friendly in Karlsruhe
The German women’s national football team faces Australia in an international friendly on Friday, October 9, 2026, with kickoff set for 20:30 CEST at the BBBank Wildpark in Karlsruhe, as reported by Sport Bild and regional publisher SWP. For the DFB-Frauen, it is the first of two international fixtures within the October international window. Viewers can follow the match live and free of charge on ZDF starting at 20:15 CEST.
Squad Shuffling and Injury Setbacks in Karlsruhe
Head coach Christian Wück (53) faces an uphill battle at the start of the new international season. Sport Bild reported that team captain Giulia Gwinn (27) was forced to withdraw after suffering a torn outer ligament in her left ankle during a Bundesliga match for Bayern Munich in Frankfurt on Saturday evening. Vivien Endemann of Liverpool also pulled out due to a mild calf strain. To offset these absences, Wück called up Sarai Linder (26) from Wolfsburg and Nicole Anyomi from the London City Lionesses. Meanwhile, Arsenal player Lisa Baum earned her very first senior national team nomination. Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger is taking a break in agreement with the coaching staff, while Kathrin Hendrich and Rebecca Knaak remain sidelined with injuries.
Television and Streaming Access for Viewers
Football fans across the country can watch the entire fixture without subscription costs. ZDF begins its live broadcast from Karlsruhe at 20:15 CEST ahead of the 20:30 CEST kickoff, according to SWP’s broadcast schedule overview. Lili Engels will host the television coverage alongside expert analyst Kathrin Lehmann, while Gari Paubandt handles match commentary. A free digital livestream runs simultaneously via the ZDF Mediathek and the sportstudio.de portal for viewers watching online, with the stream also starting at 20:15 CEST.
Revenge Against the Matildas and Upcoming Fixtures
The encounter serves as a competitive test against an opponent that recently troubled the German squad. SWP noted that Australia reached the final of the 2026 Asian Cup before losing to Japan. Across seven historical meetings, Germany has won four, though the most recent clash in October 2024 ended in a 1:2 defeat. Further historical results include Olympic matches where the DFB team won 3:0 in Sydney in 2000 and 3:0 in Paris in 2024, alongside a 2:2 draw in Rio in 2016. Four days after the match in Karlsruhe, on Tuesday, October 13, at 17:45 CEST, Germany will face Asian champion Japan at the Weserstadion in Bremen.