The Bundesliga 2 Title Race Is Insane

If you’re a casual football fan, you probably only pay attention to one or two leagues, like the Premier League or La Liga. Some football fans pay close attention to the top five leagues, but unless you are a fan of a Bundesliga 2 team or really into German football, you probably haven’t noticed that the title race in the German second division has been insane this season.

What Is Happening?

Currently, four points separate the top eight teams, with the league leaders on 42 and eighth placed Hannover 96 on 38. The Bundesliga 2 has recently become a bit of a graveyard for previously competitive sides in the top division, with Schalke, Hertha Berlin and Hamburg all sitting roughly mid table.

The 2. Bundesliga is absolutely insane pic.twitter.com/5NBacli5hp

— Max_Football (@Max_Football_) March 2, 2025

Two sides will be promoted automatically come the end of the season, and one will have the chance to play in the Bundesliga next season via the promotion playoff, where they will face the side third from bottom in the top tier. This season has been incredibly tight, with a remarkable number of draws, making up nearly a quarter of all of the matches played in the league. The team with the most draws is Ulm, who sit second from bottom, while no team in the top eight are currently on a winning streak longer than one game.

The Leaders Of The Pack

Right now, there are two teams on 42 points, leading the league. Top by goal difference is Hamburger SV, who are currently in their seventh consecutive season in the Bundesliga 2, having suffered relegation from the top flight in 2018. This was their first relegation from the Bundesliga in their history. Since that season, they have finished either third or fourth in every campaign, but have failed to get promoted via the promotion play off.

In second are FC Kaiserslautern who have a goal difference of just eight, as their wins tend to be by very narrow margins. This is just their third season back in the Bundesliga 2 as they spent four years in the third division between 2018 and 2022. The four time German champions have surprised everyone this season as they finished the last campaign in 13th, near the bottom of the table.

Who Is One Point Behind?

There are three teams currently on 41 points, just one behind the two league leaders. FC Magdeburg are in third and are looking to play in the Bundesliga for the first time in their history. Being located in the East of Germany, the club was part of the East Germany footballing leagues from when it was founded up until 1991. It was a highly successful German club, winning the UEFA Cup Winners Cup in 1974 and three championship titles. Since reunification it has played in the lower divisions of German football, until it managed to reach the second tier back in 2018. This season has been a bit of a surprise for Magdeburg fans as they tend to sit nearer the bottom of the table.

SC Paderborn are a team that might sound familiar if you have paid attention to the Bundesliga over the last decade or so, as they have spent two separate seasons in the top flight since 2014. They are a historically small club, having spent most of their existence in regional leagues, but this season they are punching above their weight and mixing with the, albeit former, big boys of German football.

🦾 Paderborn were the first team to restrict Hamburger SV to 0 goals in a 2. Bundesliga game since Hannover 96 on Matchday 3.#SCPHSV | #SCP07 pic.twitter.com/sRUJHEdXzF

— SC Paderborn 07 - English (Unofficial) (@SCPaderbornEN) March 2, 2025

Probably the most recognisable team currently in the top eight of the Bundesliga 2, FC Koln have been top flight regulars for large parts of their history. Since 2000 they have been seen as a bit of a yo-yo club, constantly switching between the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2. Last season they were relegated from the Bundesliga, winning five games all season. Being in fifth with just 10 games to go this season, you would think that they have little chance of earning promotion straight back into the top flight, but they are just one point off top spot.

Other Contenders

SV Elversberg have an outside chance of finishing inside the top three. They are currently in sixth, three points off the top and are on a five game unbeaten run. Hannover are the only team that can compete in that metric with a seven game run at the moment, although five of those ended in a draw. Elversberg have never played in the German top flight and were in the fourth tier as recently as 2022, but back to back promotions has seen them dominate the fourth and third divisions.

Fortuna Dusseldorf are a team with a lot of history, however their recent years have been difficult. This is their fifth straight season in the second tier following relegation in 2020, and while they have been close to a top flight return in recent years, they haven’t quite made it. Their most recent match may have damaged their promotion bid, as they lost to SpVgg Greuther Furth who have made some ground on them.

Fortuna Dusseldorf - SpVgg Greuther Fürth pic.twitter.com/lLezKPTcQE

— Gozerttt1908 (@gozerttt1908) February 28, 2025

The final team with a decent shout of the Bundesliga 2 title is Hannover. Their unbeaten run recently has been impressive, however they have drawn too many games against teams below them to put up a convincing bid for promotion. While they have spent most of their history in the top flight, they have struggled in the second tier since their relegation in 2019, barely putting up any sort of fight for the title.