The DFB Pokal is Germany’s main knockout football cup competition for men’s clubs. The opening round contains 64 teams: clubs from the top two national divisions, the highest eligible finishers from the third tier, regional cup winners and additional regional representatives. Every tie is decided in a single match, with no return leg. If the score is level, extra time and penalties follow, and the trophy is won by recording six consecutive victories.
The competition began in the interwar period, was interrupted by the war and its aftermath, and was restored in the early post-war years. Its importance comes from placing professional clubs and lower-division teams on the same stage, where a lower-ranked home side can eliminate a favourite in one evening. Bayern Munich are the historic record holders, while Werder Bremen, Schalke 04, Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt are also among the most successful winners.
Fixtures and results are followed round by round, from the opening stage through the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final. Because this is a cup, the standings do not work like a league table: teams do not collect points across the competition. A position or status in the table indicates the stage reached, qualification for the next round or elimination, while the result of each individual match directly determines who continues.
Matches are generally played from late summer to spring, with several separate round dates during the football calendar and the final at the end of the competition period. Earlier rounds are hosted at club stadiums across Germany, while the deciding match is traditionally held at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium. When buying tickets, visitors should check the confirmed date and kick-off time, home or away supporter section, transfer rules, delivery method, and all fees and conditions of the partner platform reached through the link.
The DFB Pokal is known for meetings between major and smaller clubs, full away sections and an atmosphere that often differs from league football. The draw can produce Bayern Munich against Borussia Dortmund, the Ruhr derby between Dortmund and Schalke, or local matchups between clubs that rarely compete in the same division. Supporter displays, travelling fan groups and the knowledge that one mistake can end the entire campaign create the tension for which the German cup is especially recognised.