Stuttgart and Arminia Bielefeld are set to clash in this year’s DFB-Pokal final, scheduled for May 24. This exciting showdown will see Arminia Bielefeld from the 3. Liga taking on Bundesliga side Stuttgart.
Arminia Bielefeld’s journey to the DFB-Pokal final is already remarkable. But what if they go one step further and win the title?
European: If Bielefeld manages to overcome Stuttgart in Berlin, they would become the first 3. Liga team to lift the DFB Cup. But what would follow such a historic victory?
Does Winning the DFB-Pokal Guarantee European Qualification?
The DFB-Pokal is the second-most prestigious club competition in German football, following the Bundesliga title. Running from August to May, this knockout tournament offers the winner a spot in both the DFL-Supercup and the UEFA Europa League, unless the winning team has already secured qualification for the UEFA Champions League.
If Bielefeld wins the DFB-Pokal, they will directly enter the UEFA Europa League group stage for the following season, ensuring Mitch Kniat’s team will compete in European football until at least January. As they currently lead the 3. Liga, they are also on track for promotion to the second division.
But how would this impact Bundesliga teams competing for European places?
European, Since 2015, the rule allowing the DFB-Pokal runner-up to qualify for Europe if the winner had already qualified through another route has been abolished. This change was evident when Wolfsburg defeated Borussia Dortmund 3-1 in Berlin, ending the previous practice.
As a result, instead of seven European spots, the Bundesliga could be left with just six. The top four teams—currently RB Leipzig, Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Bayern Munich—would secure UEFA Champions League spots. The team finishing sixth would enter the UEFA Conference League playoffs, while the fifth-placed team would join Bielefeld in the Europa League.
