With just eight matches left in the 2024/2025 season of the Bundesliga 2, the race for promotion is heating up. Nine teams are in contention, each harboring realistic hopes of securing a place in the top tier of German football. The competition is fierce, with the 1. FC Magdeburg in the mix, just a step away from the coveted relegation playoff position.
The current state of the league shows that after 26 matchdays, the top teams are in a tight race. Hamburger SV leads the table with 48 points and a goal difference of +26. They still have a challenging schedule ahead, facing strong opponents including SV Elversberg at home, and will have to perform admirably to maintain their position at the top. Their remaining fixtures are as follows:
- SV Elversberg (H)
- 1. FC Nürnberg (A)
- Eintracht Braunschweig (H)
- FC Schalke 04 (A)
- Karlsruher SC (H)
- SV Darmstadt 98 (A)
- SSV Ulm 1846 (H)
- SpVgg Greuther Fürth (A)
Challenging Hamburger SV for the top spot is the 1. FC Köln, currently in second place with 47 points (+9 goal difference). Their fixtures may offer them opportunities to gain ground, as they prepare to face teams like:
- SC Paderborn (A)
- Hertha BSC Berlin (H)
- SpVgg Greuther Fürth (A)
- Preußen Münster (H)
- Hannover 96 (A)
- Jahn Regensburg (H)
- 1. FC Nürnberg (A)
- 1. FC Kaiserslautern (H)
SC Paderborn stands third with 45 points (+12) and faces a mixed array of opponents that could sway their prospects, including:
- 1. FC Köln (H)
- Eintracht Braunschweig (A)
- Fortuna Düsseldorf (H)
- 1. FC Nürnberg (A)
- SV Elversberg (H)
- FC Schalke 04 (A)
- 1. FC Magdeburg (H)
- Karlsruher SC (A)
1. FC Kaiserslautern holds fourth place with 43 points (+6) and is keen to continue their upward trajectory, with matches against:
- Fortuna Düsseldorf (H)
- 1. FC Magdeburg (A)
- 1. FC Nürnberg (H)
- Eintracht Braunschweig (A)
- FC Schalke 04 (H)
- Karlsruher SC (A)
- SV Darmstadt 98 (H)
- 1. FC Köln (A)
Meanwhile, 1. FC Magdeburg, now fifth with 42 points (+12), has a critical row of matches that will determine their fate:
- Hannover 96 (A)
- 1. FC Kaiserslautern (H)
- SSV Ulm 1846 (A)
- Jahn Regensburg (H)
- Hertha BSC Berlin (A)
- Preußen Münster (H)
- SC Paderborn (A)
- Fortuna Düsseldorf (H)
Also in the running is Hannover 96, at sixth place, also with 42 points (+8). They aim to capitalize on their upcoming games:
- 1. FC Magdeburg (H)
- Karlsruher SC (A)
- SV Elversberg (H)
- SV Darmstadt 98 (A)
- 1. FC Köln (H)
- SSV Ulm 1846 (A)
- SpVgg Greuther Fürth (H)
- Hertha BSC Berlin (A)
1. FC Nürnberg, holding seventh place with 41 points (+7), is not too far behind either:
- Jahn Regensburg (A)
- Hamburger SV (H)
- 1. FC Kaiserslautern (A)
- SC Paderborn (H)
- Fortuna Düsseldorf (A)
- SV Elversberg (H)
- 1. FC Köln (H)
- Eintracht Braunschweig (A)
Fortuna Düsseldorf and SV Elversberg, tied in points at 41 and 40 respectively, will also navigate tough matches as the season winds down. Their schedules include high-stakes matches against other promotion hopefuls and teams fighting relegation.
The final match day of the season is scheduled for May 18, 2025, at 3:30 PM, a date that all nine contenders will have marked on their calendars. Relegation matches are set to take place on March 21 and 25, allowing teams not participating in promotion contention a chance to save their season.
Excitement is building as the matchdays unfold. The 27th round kicks off with important fixtures on March 28, where Hamburger SV takes on SV Elversberg, and SSV Ulm faces SV Darmstadt 98. These matches will set the tone for the final stretch of the season and may reshape the playoff picture significantly. Every match is crucial, and fans are bracing for intense competition as the dreams of Bundesliga promotion come down to the wire.
