Final of the underdogs: Arminia Bielefeld meets VfB Stuttgart in the DFB Cup!

Final of the underdogs: Arminia Bielefeld meets VfB Stuttgart in the DFB Cup!

Today, May 24, 2025, the eagerly awaited DFB Cup final between Arminia Bielefeld and VfB Stuttgart will take place in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Kick-off is at 8 p.m. For VfB Stuttgart it is the first participation in the DFB Cup final since 2013, while Arminia Bielefeld reached the final for the first time in the club's history. This is basic history: Bielefeld is the fourth third division team to assert itself in the final and is now aiming to become the first third division team to win the DFB Cup after no third division team has yet been able to score a goal in the final.

VfB Stuttgart has overcome notable opponents in the current cup season, including Preußen Münster, 1. FC Kaiserslautern, Jahn Regensburg, FC Augsburg and RB Leipzig. The last winning phase in the DFB Cup for Stuttgart dates back a long time and covers the years 1954, 1958 and 1997. The coach of VfB, Sebastian Hoeneß, faces an important challenge as the team is currently only in ninth place in the league and winning the cup without taking part in European competitions is particularly important.

Arminia Bielefeld – The newcomer under the sign of the underdog

Arminia Bielefeld, known as "the elevator" due to their frequent promotions and relegations - seven promotions in Germany in total, have been equally impressive this cup season, defeating, among others, the second division team Hannover 96 and four Bundesliga clubs, including Bayer Leverkusen. This gives the team additional motivation to survive in the final against favorites VfB Stuttgart.

The viewership of the finale promises to be sensational. The Olympic Stadium, which holds 74,000 spectators, will be sold out. Ticket distribution was fair, with around 24,000 tickets for both teams and 10,000 on general sale. While VfB Stuttgart wears their traditional white jerseys, Arminia Bielefeld wears blue jerseys. The team's fan celebrations are also planned at Breitscheidplatz for Stuttgart and at Alexanderplatz for Bielefeld.

The referee team and the TV broadcast

The team of referees led by Christian Dingert (Lebecksmühle) will make the decisions in such an important game. He is assisted by Benedikt Kempkes and Nikolai Kimmeyer, while Robert Hartmann is the fourth official. The video assistants in this game are Benjamin Brand and Felix-Benjamin Schwermer. Fans can watch the final on both free TV on ZDF and on pay TV on Sky.

The DFB Cup winner receives a bonus of 4,320,000 euros and also qualifies for the UEFA Europa League. It remains to be seen whether Arminia Bielefeld, who played in the 2nd Bundesliga last season, can take advantage of this opportunity. For VfB Stuttgart, the cup victory could represent the opportunity to be present at international level. This cup fight promises drama, thrills and, above all, making football history.

Suedwest24 reports that the result not only reflects the complex competitive conditions in German football, but also the heart of underdogs fighting against the giants of the league compete. Onefootball highlights how Bielefeld's route to the final is being described as a "fairy tale", while DFB addresses the challenges and opportunities for third division teams in the DFB Cup final. The tension is rising and the wait for the first goal could soon be over. All eyes are on Berlin!