Energie Cottbus: Who are the team returning to Bundesliga 2 for 2026/27?
After a 12-year absence, Energie Cottbus secured their Bundesliga 2 return after a 1-0 victory over Jahn Regensburg on Matchday 38 saw Claus-Dieter Wollitz's charges finish the 2025/26 season in second place in the third division.
The story of 2025/26
After missing out on the promotion/relegation play-off in 2024/25, Cottbus had one goal in mind heading into this season: promotion. They started the campaign with only three wins from their opening seven 3. Liga games but went on to win eight of their following ten matches between September and December, which included wins over direct promotion rivals Rot-Weiss Essen and Duisburg.
However, a tough patch between Matchday 23 and Matchday 30 saw Cottbus pick up just 11 points from a possible 24, which led to the Brandenburg club dropping as low as fifth and out of the promotion picture.
Impressively, Cottbus managed to rekindle their early season magic to secure six wins from their final eight fixtures, which brought deserved success as Wollitz's men secured their Bundesliga 2 return after Jannis Boziaris’ 27th-minute strike earned Cottbus a narrow victory over Regensburg to achieve promotion.
Key player: Erik Engelhardt
Only four teams scored more than Cottbus’ 72 league goals across 2025/26, with Engelhardt netting 22 goals in 38 appearances.
The 28-year-old, who returned to the club in January 2025, scored 10 goals across 11 games between September and December.
Coach: Claus-Dieter Wollitz
Wollitz spent four seasons in the Bundesliga, playing 64 times during spells at Schalke, Bayer Leverkusen, Kaiserslautern and Cologne, but will be remembered for his time in Bundesliga 2 at VfL Osnabrück where the attacking-midfielder scored 32 goals across 110 appearances.
Switching to management upon his retirement from playing football, Wollitz started his coaching career at KFC Uerdingen before moving to Osnabrück. With more than two decades of managerial experience, the Brakel-native, now in his third spell in the Cottbus hotseat having returned to the club in July 2021, coached the East German club during their last Bundesliga 2 spell.
What they said
“Congratulations to Energie Cottbus. After 12 years, the club has finally achieved its long-awaited return to Bundesliga 2. Heartfelt congratulations to the team, the coaching staff led by Claus-Dieter Wollitz, the club management, as well as all the employees and fans of the club.” - DFL Managing Directors Marc Lenz and Steffen Merkel
History
Founded as 1966 Energie Cottbus, their best finish in the East German pyramid was in the final season before reunification when they came seventh, but their finish in the following season meant they joined the reunified German system in the third tier.
Promoted to Bundesliga 2 in 1997, they became the second team from outside the top two divisions to reach the DFB Cup final, losing to VfB Stuttgart – and then to the Bundesliga in 2000 as only the third former East German club to achieve promotion to the top flight since reunification.
Yo-yoing between Germany’s top four divisions, Cottbus spent five years in Bundesliga 2 between 2009 and 2014 and went on to spend seven of the following 12 years in Germany’s fourth tier before their 3. Liga return in 2024.
Stadium
Opened in early 1930, Cottbus’ LEAG Energie Stadium has undergone a number of renovations since and currently holds 22,528 spectators.
