German football fans are gearing up for the highly anticipated DFB-Pokal second-round draw. However, this season's selection process comes with several key updates—including scheduling changes, a major technology shift, and an upgraded prize pool.
Here is your essential breakdown of everything changing for the next round of the German Cup.
Why the Draw Schedule Has Shifted
The draw for the second round will take place on Saturday, September 5, at 17:45 CET, broadcast live on ARD (Das Erste) from the German Football Museum in Dortmund.
This represents a departure from the usual routine for two key reasons:
- State Elections: The draw was moved to Saturday to avoid clashing with the state elections in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, September 6.
- Delayed First-Round Matches: Heavyweights Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund do not play their first-round fixtures until September 1 and 2 due to their Supercup commitments.
As always, the draw will utilize two separate pots: one for amateurs and one for professional clubs. The amateur team is always drawn first to guarantee them crucial home-field advantage.
A Historic (and Controversial) VAR Debut
For the first time in DFB-Pokal history, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) will be deployed starting in the second round. Previously, the technology was held back until the round of 16.
This decision arrives amid mounting tension. During the first round, numerous fan groups staged protests and released joint statements demanding the complete abolition of VAR. They found an ally in FC Augsburg CEO Michael Ströll.
"In practice, we are often just shifting the problem from discussing referee decisions to discussing the video referee," Ströll noted, advocating for its removal. Despite the backlash, the DFB is moving forward with the technology.
Boosted Prize Money and European Rewards
The DFB has sweetened the deal for participating clubs by boosting the tournament's overall payout structure:
- Participation Bonus: Teams pocket roughly €250,000 just for entering.
- The Grand Prize: The eventual tournament winner will now take home a cumulative total of around €13 million, up from the previous €11 million.
Additionally, gate receipts and stadium advertising revenues are split equally (45% each) after expenses, with 10% going directly to the DFB.
The stakes remain high for European qualification. The DFB-Pokal winner earns a direct spot in the newly formatted UEFA Europa League league phase. If the cup winner has already secured a Champions League or Europa League spot via the Bundesliga, the ticket is reallocated to the league table—meaning the runner-up of the cup final does not inherit the spot.
