2023/24 Bundesliga 2 permutations: Who can be promoted? Who can be relegated?
Holstein Kiel and St. Pauli are on the brink at the top of the table, but it's still all to play for at both ends with the entire bottom half still at risk of relegation. Can anything be decided yet in Germany’s thrilling second division? bundesliga.com runs you through the Matchday 31 permutations…
Predict the remaining matches and see how they would impact the table
Promotion
Holstein Kiel have a six-point advantage over third place, while St. Pauli are five points ahead. With 12 points still left to play for, it means neither can secure a place in the 2024/25 Bundesliga just yet.
Third place/play-off spot
With a 12-point cushion over Hamburg in fourth and 13 goals better off, Kiel are all but guaranteed a top-three finish and therefore at least two bites at a maiden top-flight promotion. That will be confirmed on Matchday 31 if they get a point against Kaiserslautern or HSV lose at Eintracht Braunschweig.
Pauli are assured a top-three spot if they win at home to Hansa Rostock on Friday night or rivals HSV don't win on Saturday.
Fortuna Düsseldorf can't mathematically secure third place yet, but victory at Schalke combined with a HSV loss in Braunschweig would leave them nine clear and at least 18 goals better off with three games to go.
In theory, every team down to Paderborn in eighth could still finish third.
Read more about the promotion race here
Watch: St. Pauli beat Hannover to move closer to promotion
Relegation
Osnabrück are seven adrift of the play-off spot at the bottom end and could be the first team relegated from the Bundesliga 2, if they lose at Magdeburg on Sunday, combined with wins for both Wehen Wiesbaden at home to Greuther Fürth and Rostock at Pauli.
Safety
Of the teams above them, 13 points separate Kaiserslautern in 17th and Paderborn in eighth going into the final four rounds of fixtures.
Hertha Berlin are safe in seventh.
Paderborn cannot be automatically relegated anymore and will be assured of survival if they get a point against Elversberg, or one of Rostock, Wiesbaden and Braunschweig fail to win.
Fürth in ninth will retain their Bundesliga 2 status on Matchday 31 if they draw in Wiesbaden, or Rostock and Kaiserslautern both fail to win, or one of those two fail to win and Braunschweig lose to HSV.
Promoted Elversberg can secure a second straight year at this level if:
- they win in Paderborn and either Wiesbaden or Rostock fail to win
- they draw combined with defeat for Braunschweig, no more than a point for Wiesbaden, and Rostock lose or Lautern fail to win
- they draw and Rostock lose and Kaiserslautern fail to win
It's all still to play for when it comes to Nuremberg (11th), Magdeburg (12th), Schalke (13th), Braunschweig (14th) and Wehen Wiesbaden (15th).
Rostock and Kaiserslautern both have the opportunity to jump out of the relegation zone if things go their way, and make things uncomfortable for the five teams ahead.
Read more about promotion and relegation in Germany
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