The DFB-Pokal is Germany’s most prestigious domestic cup, and the country’s powerhouse clubs treat it that way. Bayern Munich are the competition’s record winners and the current holders after lifting the 2025/26 cup. Here you can find our DFB-Pokal predictions and betting tips for the 2026/27 season. The first round kicks off in August 2026, then the final is at Berlin’s Olympiastadion in May 2027.
England has two domestic knockout tournaments, the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup. In contrast, Germany has only one major cup competition, the DFB-Pokal.
The competition is steeped in history, because its first edition took place in 1935. Nurnberg claimed that inaugural title against Schalke 04, in front of 55,000 fans at the Rheinstadion.
Nearly a century later, the tournament is still going strong and remains well-regarded among Germany’s elite clubs. Winning it also grants access to the Europa League.
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Today’s DFB-Pokal tips
Our latest DFB-Pokal tips will appear here ahead of the next round of fixtures.
Latest DFB-Pokal outright odds
| Club | Sky Bet odds |
Bayer Leverkusen | 5/2 |
| Stuttgart | 9/4 |
Borussia Monchengladbach | 11/2 |
St Pauli | 7/1 |
Hertha Berlin | 10/1 |
Fortuna Dusseldorf | 12/1 |
| Kaiserslautern | 40/1 |
Saarbrucken | 40/1 |
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DFB-Pokal 2026/27 key dates
| Event | Date |
| Round One | August 2026 |
| Final | May 2027 (Olympiastadion, Berlin) |
When does the 2026/27 DFB-Pokal start?
The 2026/27 DFB-Pokal begins with Round One in August 2026. As always, all 64 clubs enter at that stage, so there are upset opportunities from the very first weekend. The final then takes place at Berlin’s Olympiastadion in May 2027.
When do Squawka release their DFB-Pokal predictions?
We aim to give our readers plenty of time to check our betting tips for upcoming DFB-Pokal matches. As a result, we look to get these tips live between 24 and 48 hours before kick-off. However, that time frame can fluctuate on occasion due to fixture congestion.
You’ll find our best tips for the DFB-Pokal on this page during every round. For the biggest matches, we’ll also have specially-picked match previews. These are written by our Squawka Bet experts, who have extensive knowledge of German football.
What betting markets are popular for the DFB-Pokal?
The earlier rounds usually match up so-called minnows against Germany’s perennial big boys. As a result, the scope for high-scoring games is more pronounced.
Europe’s other major footballing nations tend to introduce their heavyweights in the later phases. For instance, England’s European qualifiers only enter the Carabao Cup at the third round. In contrast, Germany brings everyone in from the start, including Bayern Munich.
As such, your best bet is to look for markets built around goals. Think lots of goals, wins to nil and goals in both halves. Bayern, for example, have beaten Viktoria Cologne 5-0, Bremer SV 12-0 and Duren 3-0 in recent Round One ties.
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DFB-Pokal Accumulators
The DFB-Pokal has set weekends and the best clubs involved from the start. Therefore, there are plenty of opportunities to try your hand at football accumulator betting.
With accumulator betting, you grow your odds while staking an interest in a multitude of games, perfect for the DFB-Pokal.
However, recent seasons have proven that games can be tough to call. Make sure to keep track of form and follow the research.
Over 2.5 goals
High-scoring games are common when the giants of the Cup meet the so-called little teams. That makes this particular betting market a highly attractive one.
As mentioned, all the big clubs are in the mix from the off. Therefore, the potential for high-scoring games increases, hence the interest in over 2.5 goals scored.
Recent seasons have produced a handful of victories by seven goals or more. Similarly, last-16 ties often serve up four goals or more.
‘To go through’ Bets
If you’re a little nervous about making ‘exact’ predictions, this is the market for you.
Of course, winners might be easy to predict on paper. However, recent seasons have proven that games are won on the pitch. Shock results happen, and bigger teams often take longer than expected to get through.
Here you’ll simply bet on which team you think will make it through to the next round. There is no pressure on guessing the scorelines or, indeed, the scorers.
DFB-Pokal Inplay betting tips
In-play betting has seen a real increase in popularity in recent years. Punters want to get involved with the action more than ever. Many firms now offer cash-out bets and live in-play odds. In the case of the DFB-Pokal, you can even watch live matches with some bookmakers as you place your bets. bet365 are particularly on the ball with this feature.
If you think an underdog can eliminate a Bundesliga side, you can back that in seconds on your chosen app. There are plenty of other in-play markets to choose from, too. For example, you can back the next team to score, the next goalscorer, or a goal before a certain minute. Sky Bet are among the top bookmakers to offer in-play bets.
Full time results
Full time result markets can often offer more to a punter than in straight Bundesliga games. When opponents are mismatched, you’ll commonly find top-flight teams shuffling the pack and deploying weaker XIs. As a result, backing the opposition can carry real value.
In this bet, you’re simply backing which team you believe will win the match. It should not be confused with a correct score bet. That market involves betting on the exact scoreline at the end of 90 minutes.
Some of the more recent giantkillings in the DFB-Pokal include:
- 2023/24: Saarbrucken 2-1 Bayern Munich (Round Two)
- 2021/22: Preussen Munster 2-0 Wolfsburg (Round One)
- 2021/22: Babelsberg 2-2 (5-4p) Greuther Furth (Round One)
- 2020/21: Rot-Weiss Essen 2-1 Bayer Leverkusen (Round of 16)
- 2020/21: Rot-Weiss Essen 1-0 Arminia Bielefeld (Round One)
- 2019/20: Saarbrucken 1-1 (7-6p) Dusseldorf (Quarter-finals), after beating Cologne 3-2 in Round Two
- 2019/20: Verl 2-1 Augsburg (Round One)
- 2018/19: Ulm 2-1 Eintracht Frankfurt (Round One)
*Bundesliga clubs in bold
The DFB-Pokal takes place throughout the German football season, starting with Round One in August. The 64-club field includes all 36 teams from the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga. In addition, the top four finishers in the 3. Liga are drafted in. The remaining 24 places go to representatives of the 21 regional associations (Bavaria, Berlin, Hesse, Saxony, Westphalia, etc). These are typically handed to obscure and often amateur clubs, offering a kaleidoscopic variability of German football.
Best bookmakers for DFB-Pokal Betting
Our DFB-Pokal predictions point to another wild and entertaining tournament. Therefore, it may be a good shout to bet early with some of the best bookmakers in the business.
We’ve taken a look at five of the best bookies for DFB-Pokal betting. Check them out below…
Which other competitions do you offer tips for?
Of course our tips aren’t just limited to the DFB-Pokal. Indeed, we offer tips for Germany’s main attraction, the Bundesliga. We also cover Europe’s other major leagues, including the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A. In addition, you’ll find tips for the Champions League and Europa League.
- Champions League
- Conference League
- Carabao Cup
- Europa League
- Bundesliga
- Serie A
- La Liga
- Premier League
- Championship
- Nations League
DFB-Pokal Offers & Free Bets
The DFB-Pokal throws up some very interesting matches in every round. Because of that, bookmakers often run boosted odds for new customers. We’ll keep you on top of the latest offers here.
Meanwhile, you can always rely on the bookmakers’ free bet offers if none of these price boosts take your fancy. Most sportsbooks offer new customers matched deposit bonuses and similar deals to boost their playing funds.
DFB-Pokal tips FAQs
The DFB-Pokal is Germany’s national knockout cup competition. It features clubs from the Bundesliga, 2. Bundesliga and lower divisions battling in single-elimination ties.
Teams face off in one-off matches throughout the tournament. If a game ends in a draw after normal time, it goes to extra time. If needed, penalties then decide the winner.
Fixtures are scattered through the season. The 2026/27 first round takes place in August 2026, then the final is at Berlin’s Olympiastadion in May 2027.
All of our predictions and best bets for DFB-Pokal fixtures are available on this page. Check the match cards above for the latest high-confidence tips.
Our tips are based on statistical analysis, team form, head-to-head data and tactical trends to give readers well-informed predictions.