Bundesliga start: FC Cologne travels to Mainz 05 for the start!

Bundesliga start: FC Cologne travels to Mainz 05 for the start!

1. FC Köln starts the 2025/26 Bundesliga season with an exciting away game against 1. FSV Mainz 05. The game will take place between August 22nd and 24th, 2025 and marks the start of a new season for the billy goats. On a special day, June 27, 2025, the Bundesliga announced the official schedule, causing fans to look forward to it. In addition, the DFB Cup will begin on August 17, 2025 in the first round with a game against SSV Jahn Regensburg, which will kick off at 5:30 p.m.

The first four matchdays of the new season are quite challenging for FC, as two of the first three games take place away. After the start in Mainz, there will be a home game against SC Freiburg, which will take place between August 29th and 31st, 2025. On the following match days, they will play against VfL Wolfsburg (September 12th-14th, 2025) and RB Leipzig (September 19th-21st, 2025) before the first home game against VfB Stuttgart (September 26th-28th, 2025). This encounter even has a special connection to the Cologne Carnival, as it is taking place again after the carnival game that took place in February 2023.

Derbies and important meetings

There will be some emotional derbies for 1. FC Köln in the coming season. The fans can particularly look forward to the duels with Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer 04 Leverkusen. The first derby against the Fohlen will take place on the 10th matchday, between November 7th and 9th, 2025, in Gladbach, while the second leg in Cologne will take place on the 27th matchday, between March 20th and 22nd, 2026. An away game is also scheduled against the Werkself, which will be played on matchday 14 (November 28-30, 2025), followed by the return to Cologne on matchday 31 (April 24-26, 2026).

Whether the Billy Goats get off to a good start in the first half of the season will be seen after the first five games. The last matchday of the first and second half of the season promises exciting encounters and will take place against FC Bayern Munich. The first leg will be played between January 13 and 15, 2026 in Müngersdorf, while the second leg will take place on matchday 34, May 16, 2026, in the Allianz Arena.

A look at the Bundesliga

The entire Bundesliga schedule has already been set for the 2025/26 season. Loud OneFootball One of the highlights is the opening game between Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig on August 22, 2025 at 8:30 p.m. in the Allianz Arena. The game will be broadcast live on Sky and also on free TV on SAT.1.

This season in particular, fans can also look forward to a winter break, which will last from December 21st to January 11th. The rounds are symmetrical, meaning that after the first round the games are played again in reverse order, with the second round containing identical games but at different locations.

In summary, there are lots of exciting games and nerve-wracking derbies on the program that will make the 2025/26 Bundesliga season a special experience. For 1. FC Köln it will be important to prepare well for these challenges.

The entire schedule can be viewed here: DFL.