The captains of the 2026/27 Bundesliga 2 season
Which players will lead their teams in the 2025/26 Bundesliga 2 season as captains? Check out our handy overview below!
Wolfsburg: Maximilian Arnold
They may be in a new division with a new coach, but the skipper at Wolfsburg remains the same. "Max Arnold is my and our captain," said the new boss, Tobias Strobl, shortly after taking the job: "I know what he's done for the club. We won't forget that. But we also know, we are in the here and now. The most beneficial thing for this team is for him to remain captain."
Heidenheim: Patrick Mainka
Having played every minute of every game during Heidenheim's three Bundesliga seasons, the ever-present defender will continue to lead the side in the second tier. Continuity is clearly king at Heidenheim, where head coach Frank Schmidt remains at the helm as he enters his 20th year in charge.
St. Pauli: Vacant
Jackson Irvine captained the Hamburg club last season but couldn't prevent their relegation to the second tier. The Australian has bid farewell though after signing for Cerezo Osaka, meaning a new skipper will need to be appointed soon at the Hamburg-based cult club.
Hannover: Stefán Teitur Þórðarson
While Hannover narrowly missed out on promotion last term, their former captain, Enzo Leopold, will be playing in the Bundesliga this season after joining Borussia Mönchengladbach. His replacement as club captain is a man who arrived at Hannover just six months ago: Þórðarson. Having joined from Preston North End in January, the Iceland international has already been handed the armband by head coach Christian Titz.
Darmstadt: Marcel Schuhen
Darmstadt enjoyed a solid 2025/26 campaign, even if the crowning achievement of promotion ultimately eluded them. It's hardly surprising, then, that there will be no change in the captaincy for the Hessian club. Head coach Florian Kohfeldt continues to rely on his first-choice goalkeeper, Schuhen, as the on-pitch leader. Following the departure of Fabian Holland, Schuhen is now the longest-serving professional player at Darmstadt.
Kaiserslautern: Marlon Ritter
Since the start of the 2024 season, playmaker Marlon Ritter has worn the captain's armband for the four-time German champions, and despite some pre-season uncertainty, he is set to retain it. The 31-year-old is once again likely to be a key player in Kaiserslautern's league campaign, where he will be tasked with trying to end the club's 14-year absence from the Bundesliga.
Hertha Berlin: Josip Brekalo
Following the departure of Fabian Reese, who moved to league rivals Wolfsburg, Hertha called on experienced 28-year-old Brekalo. He will be deputised by Linus Gechter and Paul Seguin as the side from the capital aim to finally return to the top flight.
Nuremberg: Jan Reichert
With former captain Fabio Gruber departing Nuremberg for Mainz this summer, the club has entrusted the responsibility to talented goalkeeper Reichert. The 25-year-old has been The Old Master's number 1 for the past few seasons, having successfully stepped up from the club's under-23 team. Julian Justvan and Adam Markhiev are to deputise for one of Bundesliga 2's most consistent performers last season.
Bochum: vacant
The situation at Bochum is similar to that of Nuremberg, as 2025/26 captain Matúš Bero left the club in the summer for an as-yet-unknown destination, leaving a leadership vacuum at the Ruhr club. Who will lead them next season in place of the Slovakian? We'll find out soon enough...
Karlsruhe: Marvin Wanitzek
After a period of uncertainty, it now seems as if Wanitzek will continue to captain Karlsruhe under new head coach Maximilian Senft. In the club's pre-season friendlies so far, the Austrian boss has seen no need to change the team's established hierarchy.
Dynamo Dresden: Niklas Hauptmann
Former captain Stefan Kutschke ended his career at the end of last season, meaning his former deputy, Hauptmann, has inherited the armband at Dresden. The 30-year-old was already one of the club's leading players last term – having missed only three league games.
Holstein Kiel: Steven Skrzybski
Will he remain the skipper or will Holstein Kiel have a new captain heading into the new season? As things stand, Skrzybski will lead The Storks again next season, but after a poor 2025/26 campaign, head coach Tim Walter could still opt for a new leader by the time of their first Bundesliga 2 match.
Arminia Bielefeld: Maximilian Bauer
Mael Corboz, last season's club captain, has since departed, meaning Maximilian Bauer has taken the armband. "Maxi enjoys great trust within the team and staff, is a strong personality, and will fulfil this role with conviction," explained Bielefeld's new coach, Oliver Kirch. "It is a special honour and a great sign of trust to be able to represent this team and the club as captain," the new Bielefeld skipper recently asserted.
Magdeburg: Dominik Reimann
There is no change at Magdeburg as goalkeeper Reimann will lead them onto the field for the third year in a row. The former German Under-20 international has been at Magdeburg for five years and was pivotal to the side's return to Bundesliga 2 in the 2021/22 season. Ever since then, he has been as solid as a rock in the Magdeburg net.
Eintracht Braunschweig: Ron-Thorben Hoffmann
Braunschweig narrowly avoided relegation last season, thanks in no small part to goalkeeper and captain Ron-Thorben Hoffmann, who took over from Sven Köhler during the winter break. “He enjoys my full trust and has fulfilled the role very well in the months I have been responsible for as head coach,” said a satisfied Lars Kornetka.
Greuther Fürth: Felix Klaus
Branimir Hrgota led Greuther Fürth onto the pitch as captain for six years, but now the Swede has left the club for Bundesliga 2 rivals St. Pauli. His successor, selected by Fürth head coach Heiko Vogel, is veteran attacker Klaus, who was integral to their league survival last term.
Osnabrück: Jannik Müller
As captain, Müller led Osnabrück back to the second tier of German football. It is considered a given that the defender will wear the armband again this season, although coach Timo Schultz has not yet officially confirmed this decision.
Energie Cottbus: Axel Borgmann
Axel Borgman is likely to remain the captain of Energie Cottbus following their impressive promotion campaign. The versatile 32-year-old has been at the club since 2019 and is very likely to be a crucial member of head coach Claus-Dieter Wollitz's squad in Bundesliga 2.
