2. Bundesliga

2. Bundesliga 2026/27: Hertha held in Kiel but still four points clear

The 2. Bundesliga is the second tier of German football, founded in 1974. Eighteen teams meet home and away over 34 rounds. The top two are promoted to the Bundesliga and third place plays a promotion play-off against the Bundesliga's 16th; at the other end, 16th place meets the third-placed team from the 3. Liga and the bottom two go down. Schalke 04 won the title last season ahead of SV Elversberg, and SC Paderborn went up through the play-off. Greuther Fürth's Noel Futkeu was the top scorer with 20 goals.

Hertha BSC dropped their first points of the season in a 0-0 draw at Holstein Kiel but are still unbeaten and lead by four points from 1. FC Nürnberg, the other unbeaten side, who drew 1-1 in Cottbus. Wolfsburg, 3-1 winners over Heidenheim, and Kaiserslautern share third place on 15 points, and Kaiserslautern have the best defence, four goals conceded.

Holstein Kiel are bottom and still without a win, Darmstadt are 17th after losing 4-0 in Karlsruhe, and Bochum are in the play-off place.

Nürnberg's Mohamed Zoma and Fürth's Klaus lead the scoring charts with seven goals each, and Wolfsburg's Reese has the most assists, six, one more than Hertha's Josip Brekalo.