DFB-Pokal first round: Leverkusen, Dortmund and Leipzig progress

Leverkusen, Dortmund, Leipzig and Frankfurt reached the second round as the DFB-Pokal opened the German season.

The top seeds handled early traps; Werder Bremen were among notable casualties.

Early cup minutes sharpen match fitness before the league’s opening weekend.

“2025/26 DFB Cup first round — fixtures, results and LIVE blog.”

Context: cup momentum can translate into fast league starts for deeper squads.