A wide range of factors must be taken into account when creating the fixture lists. These include, among other things, requirements from local authorities, the Central Information Point for Sports Operations (ZIS), as well as requests from clubs and stadium operators.

In addition, various constraints must be observed: neighbouring clubs should, if possible, not play home matches at the same time. Public holidays, parallel major events and, in particular, international competition dates also play a role in the planning. In some federal states, for example, no matches are permitted on Remembrance Sunday, while in other regions Carnival or local festivals influence scheduling.

For several years now, a specialised software has been used to create the fixture lists. Without this technical support, it would hardly be possible to take the multitude of requirements into account. A wide variety of interests must be weighed and reconciled in order to find the best possible solution. Hundreds of scenarios are examined – and many of them are ultimately discarded.

Key dates for the 2026/27 season at a glance:

Bundesliga, Matchday 1: 28–30 August 2026
Bundesliga, Matchday 34: 22 May 2027
Bundesliga 2, Matchday 1: 7–9 August 2026
Bundesliga 2, Matchday 34: 23 May 2027
Relegation (first legs): 27/28 May 2027
Relegation (second legs): 31 May / 1 June 2027

Detailed scheduling during the season

The published fixture list initially only determines which clubs will face each other on the individual matchdays. The exact kick-off times are set later during the course of the season, as numerous additional factors must be taken into account.

International competitions and the DFB Cup play a central role here. They are the main reason why detailed scheduling is carried out step by step. In order to give teams competing internationally sufficient recovery time, a Bundesliga matchday is usually only scheduled once it is clear when the respective clubs will play internationally and which teams remain in the DFB Cup. The general rule is that there must be at least a two-day break before and after international matches.

Fixtures Season 2024-2025 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern

Matchday updates

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Publication of the 2026-27 fixture schedules on 2 July

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