How will Schalke, Elversberg and Paderborn fare in the Bundesliga?
Schalke, Elversberg and Paderborn earned their place in the Bundesliga for the 2026/27 campaign after gaining promotion from the second tier. But how will they fare among the elite?
Recent history suggests that promoted sides compete relatively well in the top flight, at least in their first season. In the last seven campaigns, only five of the 15 promoted clubs have dropped straight back down, while the last time all sides that came up lasted just a single term was 2008/09.
Leading this year’s new trio is a traditional giant in Schalke. Their most recent three-year stint in Bundesliga 2 - their joint-longest outside the top tier - takes their total of missed Bundesliga campaigns to just nine. The objective is to ensure that the number does not enter double figures at any point in the near future.
Watch: Schalke lift the Bundesliga 2 title!
Bundesliga 2 is often incredibly tight and, on the whole, the 2025/26 edition was much the same. Schalke, though, were clearly the division’s best outfit, starting no weekend lower than second after Matchday 8 and occupying top spot in 18 of the final 19.
Much of their success was built on a strong defence, as they conceded just 31 goals – at least eight fewer than any other side. And while they were hardly prolific, with nine sides surpassing their 50 goals scored, the likes of captain Kenan Karaman and January signing Edin Džeko were clinical when required.
In positive news, the Royal Blues have managed to hold on to almost all of their key players, even if the future of Džeko remains undecided. In terms of new arrivals, they have added Bundesliga experience in Junior Adamu and Kevin Müller, while Japan international Satoshi Tanaka has also arrived from Fortuna Düsseldorf.
Watch: Karaman wins Bundesliga 2 Player of the Season
The addition of Robin Gosens, meanwhile, represents a sprinkling of top-level ability, with the 24-time Germany international having featured in the biggest tournaments at both club and international level. Led by Miron Muslić, who guided the club back to the top flight in his maiden campaign in charge, Schalke look well placed to attack the Bundesliga and show they can compete.
Unlike last season’s Bundesliga 2 champions, Elversberg had to wait until the final day to secure promotion, doing so thanks to a comfortable win over Preußen Münster. It came after their agonising 2024/25 relegation play-off defeat to Heidenheim, and is the culmination of a journey that has seen them go from the fourth to top tier in four years.
After losing head coach Horst Steffen and top goalscorer Fisnik Asllani following that Heidenheim defeat, many may have expected Elversberg to struggle. However, as they have done consistently in recent seasons, they were shrewd in the transfer market and picked up where they left off.
Watch: Elversberg set for big Bundesliga bow
Even when another breakout star and top scorer, Younes Ebnoutalib, departed for Eintracht Frankfurt earlier this year, Elversberg regrouped and continued their promotion charge. It wasn’t always plain sailing, but they got the job done and can now enjoy the glamour of the Bundesliga.
Plenty of credit must go to head coach Vincent Wagner, who made them a force to be reckoned with at both ends of the pitch. Schalke were the only team to concede fewer goals than Elversberg’s 39, while they led the way with 64 goals scored.
In terms of size, Elversberg are the smallest club to ever participate in the Bundesliga. This, after all, is their first season in the top tier after only three in Bundesliga 2, while the town of Spiesen-Elversberg, from where they hail, has just 13,000 inhabitants – more than would have fit into their home ground, the Waldstadion Kaiserslinde, last season.
In an attempt to make sure their stay in the Bundesliga does not last just one year, they have looked to some of Germany’s biggest sides in an attempt to add strength to their squad, picking up players from Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart, both on permanent and loan deals.
Paderborn, meanwhile, became just the fifth side to win the relegation play-off as a Bundesliga 2 club, getting the better of Wolfsburg over two legs. It was quite the turnaround for the team, given they won just one of their last five regular-term games, not only slipping out of the automatic promotion spots but also the top three altogether. Only Hannover’s dropped points against Nuremberg, coupled with their own win over Darmstadt, allowed Paderborn to move into third on Matchday 34.
Watch: Paderborn beat Wolfsburg to earn promotion
It is not how you get there that matters, though, and Paderborn’s resilience and fighting spirit meant they earned their place among the best 18 teams in the country. Their third Bundesliga campaign comes with a simple aim: to secure consecutive seasons in the top flight for the first time.
In 2025/26, Paderborn had spells where they looked close to unstoppable, including a nine-game winning streak towards the start of the season and a 10-match unbeaten run in the final months. Nevertheless, across the other 14 games, they were beaten eight times, which almost cost them when push came to shove.
It has been a busy summer for Ralf Kettemann’s men, with the number of new arrivals entering double digits. The majority of the fresh recruits have come in from lower-league sides, leaving questions as to whether this side is fully equipped to deal with the upcoming demands.
They will also have to do without Filip Bilbija, last season’s top goalscorer, following the end of his contract. Still, Kettemann remains confident of success this upcoming season, stating at the start of Paderborn’s pre-season training that the motto is to “create history”.
All in all, three teams have earned their place in the Bundesliga, and will be desperate to show they have what it takes. Roll on Matchday 1!
