DFB live blog
All news about the DFB team in the live blog.
7:00 p.m
Tah and Schlotterbeck rave about each other
The German central defender duo Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck also appeared as a tight-knit unit off the pitch on Thursday. When asked what they appreciated about their respective defensive partners, both raved. “Nico is an outstanding defender, especially with the ball, there aren’t many at this level in Europe,” said Tah about Schlotterbeck. The Dortmund player immediately responded just as positively: “Jonathan played a very, very good season in Munich. If we both bring our skills to the pitch, we are a very good duo.”
5:54 p.m
World Cup oracle Taio in the starting blocks
There are things that are simply part of every World Cup. In addition to betting games, a song by Shakira and jersey rankings, this is of course also the ever-popular World Cup oracle. Ever since tipping legend Krake Paul correctly predicted every DFB team game and the world champion in 2010, the pressure has been immense. Anteater Taio from the Münster All-Weather Zoo still wants to face the challenge and responsibility, as his keepers have decided for him.
The animal with the naturally good nose will be in action for the first time tomorrow, Friday, and will announce his well-founded opinion on the DFB team’s opening game against Curacao. Lacking linguistic skills, he will predict the outcome based on bottles filled with worms. The Football Republic of Germany will be watching closely.
5:30 p.m
DFB team World ranking place 10
The German national team starts the World Cup in tenth place in the FIFA world rankings. This was the result of the ranking that the world association published a few hours before the opening game between Mexico and South Africa (9 p.m.). World champion Argentina starts the tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada as world number one. Spain follows in second place, ahead of France. Germany’s opening opponent Curacao is ranked 82nd. The other group opponents Ecuador (23rd) and Ivory Coast (33rd) are within striking distance, at least on paper.
3:43 p.m
Moroccan Jayed will referee Germany’s World Cup opener against Curaçao
Referee Jalal Jayed from Morocco will lead the German national team’s World Cup opener (June 14th, 7 p.m., live on ARD as well as in the live stream and audio stream on sportschau.de) in Houston against finals newcomer Curaçao. The world association FIFA announced this on Thursday (June 11th). The 39-year-old Jayed is supported on the sidelines by his compatriots Zakaria Brinsi and Mostafa Akarkad. The South African Abongile Tom will be the fourth official.
Jayed has been on FIFA’s list of referees since 2019 and is considered rather inexperienced internationally. His CV includes a total of four appearances at the Africa Cup of Nations, including the game for third place at the 2025 tournament. He also refereed four games at the 2025 U20 World Cup.
11:14 a.m
Assistant coach Schreuder: “It took me a while to understand everything”
Question marks in the squad nomination, the communication regarding the goalkeeping question – there has been quite a bit of criticism of national coach Julian Nagelsmann recently. The words of his assistant coach Alfred Schreuer a few days before the opening game against Curacao are likely to go down like oil on the 38-year-old: As “best trainer I’ve worked with”Schreuder ennobles his boss. “I learned a lot. It took me a while to understand everything.” Maybe it will take a while for football Germany to understand everything that Nagelsmann is doing.
6:29 a.m
Curaçao goalkeeper wants to hunt for a jersey from Neuer
There has been a lot of discussion in recent weeks about Manuel Neuer’s return to goal for the DFB team. In any case, one person is really happy about the comeback of the now 40-year-old keeper: Curaçao goalkeeper Eloy Room, who will face Germany on Sunday (7 p.m. CEST in the Sportschau live stream) at the start of the group phase. “I hoped he would come back because he is one of my great role models“, said the Miami FC goalkeeper of the German Press Agency. “He’s a very modern goalkeeper, he has changed the game of goalkeeping. He is good in all areas. This makes him one of the best goalkeepers of all time.“
Curaçao starts as a complete outsider in Group E. The anticipation for games against top international stars is still great. “I’m really looking forward to the duel with Manuel Neuer“Room said. And is he going jersey hunting after the game?”I think Neuer wants my jersey“, laughs the 37-year-old. “No, getting his shirt would be the cherry on top.“
June 10, 2026 • 10:55 p.m
2.5 hours of training and challenge from Raum
The German national team is gradually entering the final spurt of World Cup preparations. After the official photo session, national coach Julian Nagelsmann’s team stood on the training pitch for a total of two and a half hours on Wednesday, and Manuel Neuer, who was recently injured, also got involved. At a subsequent press conference, left-back David Raum once again underlined the title ambitions. “With the squad and the coaching team, we have very good signs that we will go very far,” he said. “We are Germany, we have demands and want the maximum.”
Jun 10, 2026 • 10:07 p.m
Nagelsmann thought Ouedraogo was drunk
Assan Ouedraego apparently cheered so loudly after being nominated for the World Cup that national coach Julian Nagelsmann suspected he had consumed mood-enhancing drinks. “I was lying on the lounger and was incredibly chilling with my boys. I was immediately incredibly happy,” said the youngster with a laugh on Wednesday. “Then he asked me if I was drunk. But I don’t drink either way.” Oudraego replaced Bayern youngster Lennart Karl last Friday, who was injured in Chicago before the World Cup dress rehearsal against the USA.
Jun 10, 2026 • 8:54 p.m
Space: “I accept my role”
For a long time, David Raum was number one on the left in the DFB team – but Nathaniel Brown has now overtaken him and will most likely go into the World Cup tournament as a regular player. And that means that space is also completely fine. “‘Nene’ is doing it very, very well. I accept my role and when I come into the game, I give it my all. Even if I don’t play from the start, the team knows that they can rely on me.”said the RB Leipzig left-back.
June 10, 2026 • 6:37 p.m
Strong signal to Jonas Urbig
26 players are officially in the World Cup squad, and of course this also applies to the DFB team. However, if anyone bothers to count the team photo taken Wednesday in Winston-Salem, it will come to 27 players. The reason: Julian Nagelsmann gave Jonas Urbig a strong signal that he was more than just a training goalkeeper, but a real part of the team. The FC Bayern Munich keeper traveled as number four.
Team photo of the DFB team before the World Cup in America
June 10, 2026 • 3:34 p.m
Thomas Hitzlsperger: This is how the DFB selection can go far at the World Cup
Sports show expert Thomas Hitzlsperger has more confidence in the German national team at the 2026 World Cup than at the last two world tournaments. “The first two teams in each group advance directly. Eight of the twelve third-placed teams also move on to the next round. They will do that.”said the former professional in the lunchtime magazine. The DFB selection had already failed in the preliminary round in both Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.
In the knockout phase, the further course of the tournament also depends on the opponents, Hitzlsperger continued: “It’s about what comes after the group stage. If things go badly, we’ll go against France early on. That would be difficult.” In principle, the 44-year-old is convinced that, in addition to France, Argentina and Spain are also “better positioned individually” than the DFB team. “But if the team finds a good rhythm, there’s nothing to stop us from making it to the semi-finals or the final.”
June 10, 2026 • 10:12 am
DFB stars pay fans for the bus ride to the World Cup game
In view of the high and exorbitantly increased prices for bus and train journeys in New York during the World Cup, the German national players organized free transport for 600 fans to the last group game. Captain Joshua Kimmich and his colleagues are supposed to cover the costs of buses that take the supporters from New York to the arena in New Jersey for the game on June 25th against Ecuador in East Rutherford.
To get a free ticket you have to be a member of the national team fan club. If more supporters register than there are places available, the places will be allocated by lottery. The DFB team is reacting to the discussion about the sharp rise in public transport prices in some venues during the World Cup.