The pairings for the new playoff round in the women’s DFB Cup were drawn on Thursday (June 26, 20025) at the DFB campus in Frankfurt/Main. This leads to the duel between Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
A total of 32 teams start in the 1st main round of the DFB Cup. The twelve Bundesliga teams and the four best-placed teams from the 2nd women’s Bundesliga are set. The remaining 16 places go to teams that prevail in the first playoff encounters.
The 21 winning teams of the state trophies, the remaining six teams from the 2nd Bundesliga and the five promoters to the 2nd Bundesliga received a starting place for the playoffs.
The two-time world and European champion Renate Lingor took over the draw of the 16 playoff games. The teams in regional groups (North/South) were composed in the draw of the playoff encounters. Amateur teams are all clubs below the 2nd women’s Bundesliga, always have home rights.
DFB Cup of women: Dortmund against Gladbach in the Red Earth stadium
The most sonorous duel in the playoffs should certainly be the game between Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach. Second division promoted Gladbach is a favorite against the regional league BVB, who recently celebrated the fourth promotion in series. In the pre-season, the Gladbach women only left HSV in the cup quarter-finals.
The game will take place in the Dortmund stadium Red Earth. “The anticipation is huge”said Svenja Schlenker, head of the women’s football department at BVB. “The whole thing in front of a home crowd makes it all the more emotional. We can hardly wait.”
Playoffs from August 16 to August 18
In the playoffs there is another duel between two brands from men’s football, in the southwest VfB Stuttgart welcomes 1st FSV Mainz 05. Both clubs have secured a place for the playoffs as a second division promoted, in the pre-season they met in the first round.
The playoff duels are scheduled from August 16 to 18, the 1st main round of the DFB Cup for September 27th to 29th, 2025. The final takes place in Cologne as usual, on May 14, 2026 (Ascension Day).