Eintracht Frankfurt have been drawn against Borussia Dortmund in the last 16 of the DFB-Pokal. The match will be played on either December 1 or 2, 2026, representing the first major hurdle on the road to the final at Berlin's Olympiastadion on May 29, 2027.
The draw was conducted by Markus Gaugisch, head coach of the German women's handball national team, at the German Football Museum in Dortmund. For Eintracht, the pairing is an early and difficult test in a competition that offers a realistic shot at silverware. Manager Dino Toppmöller's side will approach the cup tie on the back of a two-game winning streak, having recently beaten Hamburger SV 3-1 in the league.
Current Form as Foundation
Their record from eight games shows three wins, two draws, and three defeats, having scored 13 goals and conceded 18. This leaves them seven points behind leaders Bayern München. Their form from the last five matches shows three wins and two defeats. These recent results include a 3-1 win over Hamburger SV on Sunday, a 3-1 away win at Hamburger SV on 27 October, a 1-0 defeat at Borussia Dortmund on 24 October, a 1-0 home win against 1. FC Köln on 16 October, and a 6-0 away loss at RB Leipzig on 10 October. Before the cup clash, they face an away fixture against 14th-placed SC Paderborn 07 on Saturday 7 November. The team's top scorer this season is Younes Ebnoutalib with five goals in seven appearances.
The DFB-Pokal quarter-finals are scheduled for early February 2027, with the semi-finals following in April. For Eintracht, the duel with BVB is a chance to continue their recent positive momentum and seek revenge for a 1-0 league defeat in Dortmund at the end of October.
The exact date and kick-off time for the last-16 match will be announced by the DFB. Preparation for the game runs parallel to the league schedule, with upcoming results in the fixtures list setting the tone for this key phase of the season.
This story first appeared at Der Spiegel Fussball
