New Delhi: All roads lead to Berlin on Saturday, May 24, as VfB Stuttgart take on Arminia Bielefeld in the DFB Pokal (German Cup) final at the iconic Olympiastadion. With Europa League qualification serving as an added prize for the victorious side, the high-octane clash between the two German sides promises to be a spectacle like no other.
Sebastian Hoeness’ Stuttgart will be aiming to finish their season on a high note with the DFB Pokal title after a dismal Bundesliga campaign. Stuttgart, the runners-up in the 2024 Bundesliga campaign, endured a disappointing season, finishing ninth with just 14 wins in 34 matches.
The title win in Berlin will end an 18-year-long trophy drought for Stuttgart, who last won a trophy by winning the 2006-07 Bundesliga title.
Stuttgart will also eye their fourth DFB Pokal title and first since they won in the 1996-97 season.
Giant Killers face three-time winners for German Cup glory
The Reds enter the final in sizzling form, holding a 100 per cent record in all competitions in May. Their most recent match was a comeback 3-2 win in the Bundesliga last week against RB Leipzig, who were knocked out of the DFB Pokal in April after suffering a 1-3 defeat against Stuttgart in the semifinal.
Meanwhile, Bielefeld, who clinched promotion as third-division champion, will be gunning to script history in Berlin on Saturday. The German third-tier club, now in Bundesliga 2 after the promotion, is just the fourth club from the third division to reach the final after Union Berlin, Energie Cottbus and Hertha Berlin II.
Eyeing another upset after knocking out defending champion Bayer Leverkusen in the semifinals, Bielefeld have the chance to cap off a remarkable season with European qualification and their first major trophy in the form of the German Cup.
It has been a fairytale run for Bielefeld, who, after suffering back-to-back relegations in the last couple of seasons, have secured a promotion to Bundesliga 2 after winning the title in the third division and reaching their first ever DFB-Pokal final.
Before stunning holders Leverkusen at the start of April, Bielefeld had beaten Bundesliga sides Werder Bremen, Freiburg and Union Berlin in the earlier rounds. If Stuttgart becomes another Bundesliga casualty, Bielefeld will become the first club outside of the top two tiers of German football to win the DFB Pokal crown.
Head-to-Head
Arminia Bielefeld and Stuttgart have played 22 games against each other in the last two decades. While Bielefeld have won 5 games, Stuttgart hold the superior head-to-head record with 11 victories. Both teams have played six draws during this period. Overall, in the 44 meetings, Stuttgart have won 20 while Bielefeld have emerged victorious on 12 occasions, with 12 games ending in a draw. Their most recent meeting was in the second round of the DFB Pokal in 2022 when Stuttgart ran out 6-0 winners.
All you need to know about the DFB Pokal final between Stuttgart and Bielefeld
Kick-off date/time: Saturday, May 24, 2025: 11:30 pm IST. Coverage of the match starts at 10.30 pm – an hour before the match kicks off.
How to watch on TV: Fans can watch the DFB Pokal final between Stuttgart and Bielefeld on TV9 Bharatvarsh and News9 Live
How to watch online: Fans can watch the DFB Pokal final between Stuttgart and Bielefeld online on the YouTube and Facebook platforms of TV9 Network’s TV9 Bharatvarsh, TV9 Telugu, TV9 Kannada, TV9 Marathi, TV9 Gujarati, TV9 Bangla and News9.
Witness a thrilling battle between German footballing powerhouse VfB Stuttgart and giant killers Arminia Bielefeld in the DFB Pokal 2024-25 final. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
