18 coaches for 18 clubs: who will lead the 2026/27 Bundesliga
The 2026/27 Bundesliga line-up is already set, but the coaching map is still under construction. Experienced veterans, young gambles and surprise returns – the shelf of names that will fight for the German title next season is more varied than ever.
The favorites and their strategists
At the top, Bayern Munich arrive with Vincent Kompany firmly established in the job and a statistic that is hard to ignore: 122 goals scored in the last Bundesliga, a competition record. The Belgian, who took over in July 2024 from Burnley, also secured the domestic double and only stopped in the Champions League semifinals, eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain, who went on to be champions. Contract until 2029. The machine doesn’t stop.
Just behind, Borussia Dortmund will have Niko Kovač for a full season. The Croatian arrived in February 2025 with the club sinking in 11th place and delivered an eight-game unbeaten run to finish in the Champions League zone. In 2025/26, BVB finished second with the best defense in the league – just 34 goals conceded. Kovač has already won the German Cup with Eintracht Frankfurt and the double with Bayern. He knows what he’s doing.
RB Leipzig bet on Martín Demichelis to replace Ole Werner, who was sacked despite a third-place finish. The Argentine, a Bundesliga champion with Bayern as a player, has spells at Monterrey and Mallorca as a coach. He makes his German football debut on the other side of the bench.
Stories that grab attention
Sebastian Hoeneß transformed Stuttgart. When he took over in April 2023, the club was five points from the relegation zone. Today, two Champions League qualifications and a German Cup later, the Swabians are among the country’s great forces. A nephew of Uli Hoeneß, he is building his own legend.
In Freiburg, Julian Schuster led the club to its first European final in history – they lost to Aston Villa in the Europa League, but the feat is unprecedented. His first experience as a head coach. He looks like a battle-hardened veteran.
At Schalke, Miron Muslić ended three years of the club’s absence from the Bundesliga by winning the second-division title. The Bosnian had already grabbed attention by eliminating Liverpool in the FA Cup while still at Plymouth. Now he will have to prove himself at the highest level.
Returns, young gambles and rescue missions
Adi Hütter returns to Eintracht Frankfurt after spells at Mönchengladbach and Monaco. The mission is clear: bring the club back to European football after a dull season. Carles Martínez arrives at Bayer Leverkusen as the third coach in a year – after Erik ten Hag and Kasper Hjulmand – aiming to lift the Werkself from the ashes of a disappointing campaign. The Spaniard had a spell at Toulouse in Ligue 1 before accepting the challenge.
At Hamburg, Merlin Polzin, 35, returned the club to the German elite after years of wandering in the second division. The youngest on the list delivered in his first season with a 13th-place finish – and the fans want more. In Berlin, Mauro Lustrinelli takes over Union after Marie-Louise Eta, the first female coach in Bundesliga history, who will manage the women’s team. The Swiss arrived with status: he led Thun to an unprecedented Swiss Super League title.
Christian Ilzer transformed Hoffenheim from a relegation candidate into a Champions League contender in a single season – finishing fifth and securing the Europa League. He signed a new long-term contract in May. Urs Fischer, an idol at Union Berlin, repeated the trick at Mainz: he took a team in crisis and delivered stability and a reasonable Conference League campaign. The 2026/27 Bundesliga promises plenty.
