Bundesliga 2 promotion race 2026/27: Which teams are candidates to go up?
Quick summary
Official Bundesliga feature assessing the leading promotion contenders for the 2026/27 2. Bundesliga season, with Hannover, Wolfsburg, and Hertha Berlin highlighted among the candidates.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceWolfsburg
After 29 years in Germany's top flight, Wolfsburg were relegated in May. Now, the Wolves are in search of an immediate return. "We know we're regarded as favourites, but first we have to get down to work," expressed Dieter Hecking upon being appointed managing director of sport in June, having been the first-team head coach at the end of last season.
If Hecking says it, who are we to argue? Not that it'll all be plain sailing for new coach Tobias Strobl , though. Hecking confirmed a number of changes were in store at the 2009 Bundesliga champions, following the departures of Konstantinos Koulierakis, Lovro Majer, Patrick Wimmer and Jonas Wind.
They have been offset by the arrivals of Hauke Wahl , Fabian Reese , Robert Glatzel and Elvis Rexhbecaj though, adding much-needed experience, plus youth with the addition of Muhammed Damar - and, in the case of Glatzel, proven goalscoring know-how in Bundesliga 2.
Watch : Wolfsburg relegated after play-off defeat
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What happened
Bundesliga.com previews the 2026/27 2. Bundesliga promotion picture, evaluating which clubs are best positioned to challenge for elevation to the top flight. Hannover, Wolfsburg, and Hertha Berlin are named as key candidates, reflecting their squad strength, financial resources, and recent trajectories. The article frames the upcoming campaign as an open race with several traditional German footballing institutions competing for limited promotion spots. It serves as a forward-looking guide for fans and analysts tracking the second tier's competitive landscape.
Chance analysis
Promoted or relegated heavyweight clubs in the 2. Bundesliga typically dominate the promotion conversation due to superior wage bills, infrastructure, and player quality. The inclusion of Wolfsburg (recently relegated from the Bundesliga) and Hertha Berlin (a historically big club bouncing between divisions) signals a season with strong favorite profiles. For prediction systems, this piece helps calibrate pre-season expectations and bookmaker-style probability baselines for the 2. Bundesliga title and promotion markets.
Sets pre-season expectations for the 2. Bundesliga promotion race, favoring Hannover, Wolfsburg, and Hertha Berlin as the leading candidates to go up in 2026/27.
Use as a pre-season baseline for 2. Bundesliga promotion probabilities, weighting clubs with recent Bundesliga experience and larger squads more heavily.