The DFB Pokal, Germany’s domestic cup competition, will kick off the first round between August 11th and 14th, and the matchups were drawn today. Teams from Germany’s top seven divisions are represented in this tournament, all the way from Bundesliga champions FC Bayern Munich, down to seventh division Sportfreunde Dorfmerkingen.
Bayern draws Chemnitz
Despite the chance of having a city derby against either TSV 1860 — who are now listed in the amateur ranks — or SpVgg Unterhaching, Bayern was drawn to play against Michael Ballack’s first club, Chemnitzer FC. As is tradition in this competition, the Reds will be traveling to the underdogs, heading to the former East Germany.
Chemnitz currently plays in the third division, where they finished in eighth place last season. One of the mainstays in the top league of the DDR, the best they ever managed since German reunification was playing in the second Bundesliga, but spent a considerable amount of time in the amateur levels, before establishing themselves in the third tier in 2011/2012.
Some other notable matchups:
TSV 1860 - FC Ingolstadt
1860, after a scandal-driven and overall disappointing season, resulting in a demotion to the fourth tier Regionalliga, will face off against FC Ingolstadt, their Bavarian neighbors who were relegated from the Bundesliga this season.
Sportfreunde Dorfmerkingen - RB Leipzig
The Bundesliga vice champions will travel to the tiny community of about 1100 souls, located roughly halfway between Augsburg and Stuttgart. The seventh division club won the WFV Pokal to qualify for this competition.
FC Rielasingen-Arlen - BVB Dortmund
Dortmund received a slightly harder opponent than Leipzig, but only by a smidge. They will travel to sixth division FC Rielasingen-Arlen.
Germania Halberstadt - SC Freiburg
This matchup in itself is nothing special, except that fourth division Halberstadt’s coach is the father of former Bayern and current Freiburg striker Nils Petersen.
Exact dates and times will be announced at a later time.