Does DFB-Pokal winner qualify for European competition?

Stuttgart and Arminia Bielefeld will face off in the finals this year.

This year’s DFB-Pokal will take place on 24th May. This time we have Arminia Bielefeld, who play in the 3. Liga, to face Bundesliga side Stuttgart.

Arminia Bielefeld have advanced to the final of the DFB Cup. What would happen if the team from the third division win?

Bielefeld could become the first 3. Liga team to win the DFB Cup if they defeat Stuttgart in Berlin, another Bundesliga rival. However, what would come next?

Does the DFB-Pokal winner get a ticket to the European competition?

After the Bundesliga title, the DFB-Pokal is regarded as the second-most significant club title in German football. The tournament, which runs from August to May, qualifies the winner for both the DFL-Supercup and the UEFA Europa League unless the champion is already eligible for the UEFA Champions League.

If Bielefeld win, they would immediately enter the league phase of the UEFA Europa League the next season, ensuring Mitch Kniat’s squad would play in Europe until at least January. They are currently first in 3. Liga will be promoted to the second division as they are first in the table.

However, what effect may that have on the Bundesliga sides vying for European qualification?

When Wolfsburg defeated Borussia Dortmund 3-1 in Berlin in 2015, the practice of sending a losing DFB Pokal finalist to European competition if the winner qualified through other means was discontinued.

Therefore, instead of seven European spots being up for grabs, the worst-case scenario for Bundesliga clubs would result in six. The top four teams, which are currently RB Leipzig, Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Bayern Munich, would continue to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

Sixth place would earn a spot in the UEFA Conference League playoffs, and fifth place would join Bielefeld in the Europa League.

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