“We’re looking forward to the reunion with Paderborn in the second round. After the last sixteen encounter at the BayArena two years ago, we’ll take on this very ambitious second-tier side once again – this time away at Paderborn,” said Bayer 04 managing director sport Simon Rolfes. “Our goal is clear: we want to advance to the last sixteen at the end of October.”
Bayer 04 will announce the exact kick-off time and ticket information on its channels as soon as they are finalised.
The last-16 ties will be played on 2/3 December and the quarter-final matches will be staged on 3/4 and 10/11 February 2026, with the semi-finals to be played on 21/22 April 2026 before the final at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on 23 May 2026.
The second-round ties at a glance:
FV Illertissen - 1. FC Magdeburg
FC Energie Cottbus - RB Leipzig
1. FC Union Berlin - DSC Arminia Bielefeld
1. FC Heidenheim 1846 - Hamburger SV
Borussia Mönchengladbach - Karlsruher SC
Hertha BSC - SV 07 Elversberg
SpVgg Greuther Fürth - 1. FC Kaiserslautern
Eintracht Frankfurt - Borussia Dortmund
SV Darmstadt 98 - FC Schalke 04
FC Augsburg - VfL Bochum 1848
Fortuna Düsseldorf - SC Freiburg
SC Paderborn 07 - Bayer 04 Leverkusen
1. FSV Mainz 05 - VfB Stuttgart
VfL Wolfsburg - Holstein Kiel
1. FC Köln - FC Bayern München
FC St. Pauli - TSG Hoffenheim
Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 4-0 win at SGS Essen on the 24th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.
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Bayer 04 put in a brilliant performance to beat RB Leipzig 4-1 on Bundesliga matchday 32 and are now fourth in a Champions League spot. The Black and Reds took control of the game right from the start and, with 75 per cent possession at one stage, took a 2-0 lead into the break through Patrik Schick (25’) and Nathan Tella (45+1’). The visitors initially tried to do more after the break, but the Werkself remained determined and Schick scored his second goal to increase the lead to 3-0 (76'). The Red Bulls pulled a goal back through Christoph Baumgartner (80'), but the disciplined Leverkusen side were not rattled - and certainly not Schick: The Czechia international crowned a brilliant display with his third goal shortly before the final whistle to make the final score 4-1.
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In the previous game against RB Leipzig in December last year, the Werkself turned came from behind to win 3-1 and further improved Leverkusen's already strong record against the Red Bulls. Montrell Culbreath stood out with his first goal on his debut for the Black and Reds. While the 18-year-old would certainly like to score a second goal against Leipzig on Saturday night, the attack-minded visitors come to the BayArena in confident mood after five Bundesliga victories in a row. The Nordkurve12 supporters group knows the Werkself will therefore once again be reliant on the vociferous support of the fans, and has once again called for the ‘Finally Red’ campaign in the run-in. Today’s matchday news.
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Video games manufacturer Electronic Arts (EA), together with the German Football League (DFL), announced the top male and female selections for the 2025/26 Bundesliga season this week. Bayer 04 striker Vanessa Fudalla is in the starting eleven of the women's "Team of the Season". Alejandro Grimaldo and Aleix Garcia have been selected as bench players in the men's team.
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