Frank Schmidt's Heidenheim will face the third-placed Bundesliga 2 team over two legs in the play-off. - © Maja Hitij

bundesliga

The 2024/25 relegation battle: Heidenheim face play-off after Bochum and Holstein Kiel go down

17.05.2025

Heidenheim will get a second bite of the cherry in their bid to avoid joining relegated Holstein Kiel and Bochum in the second tier...

St. Pauli - safe
Position: 14th
Points: 32
Goals: 28-41 (-13)

Hoffenheim - safe
Position: 15th
Points: 32
Goals: 46-68 (-22)

Despite losing on the final weekend, Pauli and Hoffenheim will play in the Bundesliga in 2025/26, with both sides finishing three points clear of the play-off spot.

How does promotion/ relegation work in the Bundesliga?

Heidenheim - relegation play-off
Position: 16th
Points: 29
Goals: 37-64 (-27)

Heidenheim were bottom after Matchday 25, but went into the final weekend guranteed to finish no lower than 16th after a run of seven points from three games. A heavy loss to Werder Bremen put paid to any hopes they might rescue outright safety, with their play-off opponent to be determined when the regular Bundesliga 2 season concludes on 18 May.

Holstein Kiel - relegated
Position: 17th
Points: 25
Goals: 49-80 (-31)

Kiel teased a great escape with wins over Borussia Mönchengladbach and Augsburg, but it just wasn't to be for the Bundesliga rookies. Needing a minimum of four points from their final two games to be in with a shot at the play-off berth, a 2-1 loss at home to fourth-placed Freiburg confirmed their fate. Ultimately, those all-important moments of inspiration were just too few and far between, with only six wins all season compared to 20 defeats.

Holstein Kiel's one-season Bundesliga stay is officially over. - DFL/Getty Images/Reinaldo Coddou

Bochum - relegated
Position: 18th
Points: 25
Goals: 33-67 (-34)

Having been granted a stay of exection in Heidenheim on Matchday 32, Bochum's luck finally ran out in defeat to Mainz on the penultmate weekend. The writing was already on the wall after a seven-match winless start to 2024/25 that cost Peter Zeidler his job. The experienced Dieter Hecking came in, but there was only a marginal improvement in results in the months that followed, with five wins - one of which was awarded by a DFB sports tribunal - six draws and another 13 defeats simply not enough to stem the tide.

How is the race to be promoted to the Bundesliga unfolding?