Official launch of the Bundesliga Talent Series: New U21 competition kicks off with 26 clubs in its inaugural season

With the Bundesliga Talent Series, German professional football is introducing a new competition for its top talents starting from the 2026/27 season. Following the unanimous decision of the DFL General Assembly in March this year, the additional U21 competition is now officially launching its first season. A total of 26 clubs from the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 have committed to participate, sending a strong signal in favour of youth development.

With the Bundesliga Talent Series, the DFL is intensifying youth development in German top-level football and implementing a key recommendation of a broadly composed group of experts. This group was established by the DFL last year and included representatives from the Football and Youth Academy commissions, the DFL and the DFB, as well as external specialists, in order to develop concrete measures to strengthen German youth football. One key outcome of this work is the creation of additional playing opportunities for talents in the age group from U17 to U21 - the so-called transition phase. The new competition is designed precisely for this purpose: it provides young players on the verge of entering professional football with more match experience at a high competitive level.

Flexible competition format without additional teams

The Bundesliga Talent Series is designed as a voluntary additional offering with a high degree of flexibility for clubs and complements the existing league system. Participating clubs will draw on their existing player squads in the transition phase. In addition, up to four older players may be fielded per team. This not only enables targeted development of young talent but also provides players returning from injury with a platform to regain match fitness.

• Two half-seasons played in a league format based on the Swiss system, each evaluated separately (Series 1: Sept.–Dec. 2026; Series 2: Feb.–Apr. 2027)
• The top two teams from each half-season qualify for the finals in spring 2027
• Flexible number of matches per club (3 to 6 matches per half-season)
• Standings based on points per game; goals counted as absolute totals
• Flexible squad registration and variable scheduling
• Option to hold matches at neutral venues to reduce workload and (travel) costs

Matches in the series will initially be played behind closed doors in order to keep organisational and economic burdens for participants low. For the final tournament, matches with spectators and media coverage are planned - further information will be provided in the coming months.

Broad support from both leagues

Following its rapid development and implementation within just a few months, the 36 clubs of the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 were able to register for the competition by 15 June. With 26 participating clubs, the Bundesliga Talent Series has already generated broad interest and strong support in its inaugural season. The following clubs have formally registered:

Statements on the launch of the Bundesliga Talent Series

Marc Lenz, DFL CEO:

“Top-level talent development is the foundation of sporting quality and the future competitiveness of the Bundesliga. With the Bundesliga Talent Series, the DFL is creating additional playing and development opportunities for talents, offering high flexibility for clubs at low cost. It was important to us to implement effective measures within the league association in the short term. Establishing the new U21 competition after only a few months of intensive discussions, combined with the many positive responses from clubs, sends a clear signal from the Bundesliga in support of youth development.”

Markus Krösche, Sporting Director of Eintracht Frankfurt:

“Within both the Football Commission and the expert group on the sporting future of German football, we worked intensively and in detail to identify where we lag behind internationally. Our goal was to implement measures that allow players to gain match practice at the highest possible level in an uncomplicated and rapid manner. The Bundesliga Talent Series is a first building block to provide tomorrow’s key players with this opportunity.”

Joti Chatzialexiou, Sporting Director of 1. FC Nürnberg:

“The introduction of the Bundesliga Talent Series is an important step toward even better player development. The main beneficiaries of this additional U21 competition are players who have the tools to shape the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 in the future but currently suffer from a lack of playing time. With the Bundesliga Talent Series, we are addressing the root of the problem and offering a competitive platform in the transition phase as a first step toward increasing permeability in the medium term.”

Sami Khedira, World Cup winner and member of the DFL expert group:

“An option to extend development with more competitive match practice is exactly what many players in the transition phase need. The Bundesliga Talent Series would have been very valuable during my own early professional years - it's great that it is being launched now and will continue to evolve year by year. The exchange with colleagues at the DFL and the clubs has been excellent and highly focused, as demonstrated by how quickly we were able to move this first measure into implementation. In international top-level football, there are numerous examples of players whose decisive development step came late and who did not make the direct leap from U19 to the first team. The introduction of this competition gives these career paths a better chance.”