Monday evening DFB-Pokal tie in Dresden

The DFB announced the exact times and dates of the 2025/26 DFB-Pokal first round fixtures on Wednesday morning, handing Mainz 05 an unfavourable scheduling as they travel to face newly-promoted second division side Dynamo Dresden on Monday, 18th August (kick-off 18:00 CEST).

For the 05ers, the time and date of the fixture is far from ideal, since they play the first leg of their UEFA Conference League play-off tie just three days later, on 21st August. UEFA will perform the draw to determine Mainz’s opponent in the third round of the competition’s qualification stage on 4th August, as well as the dates of the home and away legs (either 21^st or 28th August).

The DFB has justified its scheduling of the DFB-Pokal clash in Dresden in relation to the legal requirements of the local security authorities. The ‘Canaletto’, Germany’s largest city festival, will take place in the area on the weekend from 15th to 17th August.

Board member for sport Christian Heidel: “The fixture being scheduled at almost the latest possible time within this round of the DFB-Pokal is anything but favourable for us, because it detracts from the important time that we need to regenerate after an already tough start to the season, on top of the energy expended through all the travelling, with five competitive matches in the space of 14 days. We learnt about the concerns of the security authorities at an early stage and tried every means, including political ones, to have the schedule changed, but unfortunately to no avail. It’s a shame that, unlike last year, it was no longer possible to organise a cup match at the same time as the city festival. We now have to accept this decision and make the best of it.”