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DFB-Pokal Winners: Every German Cup Champion by Season (1935–2026)

83 entries · verified 2026-07-20 · free · hand-checked by Ball IQ

The DFB-Pokal is Germany's premier knockout cup competition, and one of the toughest in Europe to win because every round is a single tie played at the lower-ranked club's ground. It began in 1935 as the Tschammerpokal, named after Reich sports leader Hans von Tschammer und Osten, ran until 1943, and was then dormant through the war years before returning under the German Football Association as the DFB-Pokal for the 1952-53 season. Since 1985 the final has been staged as a permanent showpiece at Berlin's Olympiastadion.

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  1. Bayern were founded in 1900, but were snubbed for the original Bundesliga when it launched in 1963. Why?

    Only one club per city was selected for many cities, and 1860 Munich were riding high — Bayern had to wait until 1965 to win promotion into the top flight.

  2. Which team won the Bundesliga title in 1963-64, the first ever Bundesliga season?

    1. FC Köln topped the inaugural 16-team Bundesliga in 1963-64, finishing ahead of runners-up Meidericher SV — the club later renamed MSV Duisburg.

  3. Karl-Heinz Körbel made 602 Bundesliga appearances — all for which club?

    'Charly' Körbel spent 19 seasons at Frankfurt from 1972 to 1991, setting the all-time Bundesliga appearance record, and won the 1980 UEFA Cup plus four DFB-Pokals without ever leaving the club.

  4. Borussia Dortmund suffered the biggest defeat in Bundesliga history — losing 0-12 to which club in 1978?

    It came on the final day of 1977-78, with Gladbach chasing the goal difference they needed to pip Köln to the title. Jupp Heynckes scored five — but Köln won 5-0 at St. Pauli and took the championship on goal difference.

  5. Which German club returned to the Bundesliga for 2026-27 as 2. Bundesliga champions?

    The Royal Blues, from Gelsenkirchen.

Reckon you can name them all?
SeasonWinnerRunner-upScore
19351. FC NürnbergSchalke 042–0
1936VfB LeipzigSchalke 042–1
1937Schalke 04Fortuna Düsseldorf2–1
1938Rapid WienFSV Frankfurt3–1
19391. FC NürnbergWaldhof Mannheim2–0
1940Dresdner SC1. FC Nürnberg2–1 (a.e.t.)
1941Dresdner SCSchalke 042–1
19421860 MunichSchalke 042–0
1943First ViennaLSV Hamburg3–2 (a.e.t.)
1952–53Rot-Weiss EssenAlemannia Aachen2–1
1953–54VfB Stuttgart1. FC Köln1–0 (a.e.t.)
1954–55Karlsruher SCSchalke 043–2
1955–56Karlsruher SCHamburger SV3–1
1956–57Bayern MunichFortuna Düsseldorf1–0
1957–58VfB StuttgartFortuna Düsseldorf4–3 (a.e.t.)
1958–59Schwarz-Weiß EssenBorussia Neunkirchen5–2
1959–60Borussia MönchengladbachKarlsruher SC3–2
1960–61Werder Bremen1. FC Kaiserslautern2–0
1961–621. FC NürnbergFortuna Düsseldorf2–1 (a.e.t.)
1962–63Hamburger SVBorussia Dortmund3–0
1963–641860 MunichEintracht Frankfurt2–0
1964–65Borussia DortmundAlemannia Aachen2–0
1965–66Bayern MunichMeidericher SV4–2
1966–67Bayern MunichHamburger SV4–0
1967–681. FC KölnVfL Bochum4–1
1968–69Bayern MunichSchalke 042–1
1969–70Kickers Offenbach1. FC Köln2–1
1970–71Bayern Munich1. FC Köln2–1 (a.e.t.)
1971–72Schalke 041. FC Kaiserslautern5–0
1972–73Borussia Mönchengladbach1. FC Köln2–1 (a.e.t.)
1973–74Eintracht FrankfurtHamburger SV3–1 (a.e.t.)
1974–75Eintracht FrankfurtMSV Duisburg1–0
1975–76Hamburger SV1. FC Kaiserslautern2–0
1976–771. FC KölnHertha BSC1–1 (a.e.t.), 1–0 (replay)
1977–781. FC KölnFortuna Düsseldorf2–0
1978–79Fortuna DüsseldorfHertha BSC1–0 (a.e.t.)
1979–80Fortuna Düsseldorf1. FC Köln2–1
1980–81Eintracht Frankfurt1. FC Kaiserslautern3–1
1981–82Bayern Munich1. FC Nürnberg4–2
1982–831. FC KölnFortuna Köln1–0
1983–84Bayern MunichBorussia Mönchengladbach1–1 (7–6 pen.)
1984–85Bayer UerdingenBayern Munich2–1
1985–86Bayern MunichVfB Stuttgart5–2
1986–87Hamburger SVStuttgarter Kickers3–1
1987–88Eintracht FrankfurtVfL Bochum1–0
1988–89Borussia DortmundWerder Bremen4–1
1989–901. FC KaiserslauternWerder Bremen3–2
1990–91Werder Bremen1. FC Köln1–1 (4–3 pen.)
1991–92Hannover 96Borussia Mönchengladbach0–0 (4–3 pen.)
1992–93Bayer LeverkusenHertha BSC Amateure1–0
1993–94Werder BremenRot-Weiss Essen3–1
1994–95Borussia MönchengladbachVfL Wolfsburg3–0
1995–961. FC KaiserslauternKarlsruher SC1–0
1996–97VfB StuttgartEnergie Cottbus2–0
1997–98Bayern MunichMSV Duisburg2–1
1998–99Werder BremenBayern Munich1–1 (5–4 pen.)
1999–2000Bayern MunichWerder Bremen3–0
2000–01Schalke 04Union Berlin2–0
2001–02Schalke 04Bayer Leverkusen4–2
2002–03Bayern Munich1. FC Kaiserslautern3–1
2003–04Werder BremenAlemannia Aachen3–2
2004–05Bayern MunichSchalke 042–1
2005–06Bayern MunichEintracht Frankfurt1–0
2006–071. FC NürnbergVfB Stuttgart3–2 (a.e.t.)
2007–08Bayern MunichBorussia Dortmund2–1 (a.e.t.)
2008–09Werder BremenBayer Leverkusen1–0
2009–10Bayern MunichWerder Bremen4–0
2010–11Schalke 04MSV Duisburg5–0
2011–12Borussia DortmundBayern Munich5–2
2012–13Bayern MunichVfB Stuttgart3–2
2013–14Bayern MunichBorussia Dortmund2–0 (a.e.t.)
2014–15VfL WolfsburgBorussia Dortmund3–1
2015–16Bayern MunichBorussia Dortmund0–0 (4–3 pen.)
2016–17Borussia DortmundEintracht Frankfurt2–1
2017–18Eintracht FrankfurtBayern Munich3–1
2018–19Bayern MunichRB Leipzig3–0
2019–20Bayern MunichBayer Leverkusen4–2
2020–21Borussia DortmundRB Leipzig4–1
2021–22RB LeipzigSC Freiburg1–1 (4–2 pen.)
2022–23RB LeipzigEintracht Frankfurt2–0
2023–24Bayer Leverkusen1. FC Kaiserslautern1–0
2024–25VfB StuttgartArminia Bielefeld4–2
2025–26Bayern MunichVfB Stuttgart3–0

Bayern Munich are the record holders, sealing their 21st title in 2026 with a 3-0 win over VfB Stuttgart powered by a Harry Kane hat-trick. Behind them, Werder Bremen and a cluster of clubs including Borussia Dortmund, Schalke 04 and Eintracht Frankfurt make up the next tier. The cup has also been a stage for shocks and underdog runs, from Bayer Uerdingen's 1985 upset of Bayern to lower-division finalists like Kaiserslautern reaching the 2024 final.

The table below lists every winner by season, the beaten finalist, and the final score, including finals settled by a replay or penalty shootout. Where a competition year is missing, the tournament was not contested.

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DFB-Pokal Winners: Every German Cup Champion by Season (1935–2026) — FAQ

Which club has won the most DFB-Pokal titles?
Bayern Munich are the record winners with 21 DFB-Pokal titles, the most recent coming in 2026 with a 3-0 win over VfB Stuttgart. No other club is close: Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund are the next most successful.
When did the DFB-Pokal start?
The competition began in 1935 as the Tschammerpokal, won by 1. FC Nürnberg. It was suspended after 1943 during and after World War II, then relaunched by the German Football Association as the DFB-Pokal for the 1952-53 season.
Who won the DFB-Pokal in 2026?
Bayern Munich won the 2025-26 DFB-Pokal, beating VfB Stuttgart 3-0 in the final at Berlin's Olympiastadion on 23 May 2026, with Harry Kane scoring a hat-trick. It was Bayern's record 21st title.
Where is the DFB-Pokal final played?
Since 1985 the DFB-Pokal final has been held every year at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, giving the competition a fixed showpiece venue regardless of which clubs reach the final.