It’s not long now: the 2025/2026 Regionalliga West season is already looming large. It kicks off at the end of July. We conducted a survey of coaches. The first match day of the 2025/2026 Regionalliga West season is scheduled for July 26 and 27, 2025. In less than three weeks, the 4th league will be back in action.
Before the start of the season, we asked the 18 coaches who their favorites for the championship are and what their own goals are.
Julian Hesse (FC Gütersloh): “Bocholt, Siegen, Lotte, Dortmund U23: those are my favorites. After losing four starting players and two key players, we want to establish ourselves in the top third and once again stand for intense and attacking soccer.”
Sebastian Gunkel (Rot-Weiß Oberhausen): “I see a very balanced field at the top this season. Unlike in recent years with Essen, Aachen, or Duisburg, there is no clear favorite this time around. But one thing is clear: we have a lot of interesting second teams. If they get serious, they can be promoted. I would put Dortmund, Mönchengladbach, and Cologne at the top of that list. The favorites also include the teams that were at the top last season, plus 1. FC Bocholt, which has signed some very well-known players. We also have a very decent squad and will try to stay at the top for as long as possible.”
Sebastian Tyrala (Wuppertaler SV): “Bocholt, Gütersloh, Fortuna Köln, and BVB II certainly have a good chance of winning the title, but it will be a close race. We want to play in the Regionalliga again next season and ideally secure our place as soon as possible. It’s about helping the lads progress, then our results will be what we want them to be.”
Dennis da Silva Félix (SV Rödinghausen): “In general, I see a lot of teams in the league that are on par with each other. The smallest details will make the difference in the end, so I would be reluctant to name a favorite. If I had to pick a club, though, it would probably be Bocholt. They gained a lot of experience and quality during the summer transfer window. Our own goals remain ambitious and have been clearly communicated internally. We are fully focused on ourselves and will be ready for the start on July 26. We want to get as many points as possible, game after game!“
Matthias Mink (Fortuna Köln): ”Dortmund are relegated and, with the resources they have, are certainly the favorites going into the season. We want to complete our squad first, quickly find our feet as a team and then, after the major squad overhaul, make sure we get off to a good start in the league.“
Christopher Schorch (1. FC Bocholt): ”All the second teams, without a doubt. You don’t know what will happen: who will be serious, who will go full throttle? I also think Lotte, Gütersloh, Oberhausen and Sportfreunde Siegen, as promoted teams, are looking very good. We want to finish in the top nine. We’ve strengthened our squad with a few players, but they’re all very good. In the cup, we want to reach the semi-finals and then maybe even make it to the final. Those would be great goals for us.”
Fabian Lübbers (Sportfreunde Lotte): “I think the top group will be more diverse this time. Last time, there were clear favorites like Aachen and Duisburg. I think 1. FC Bocholt has strengthened its squad very well. I also see Dortmund’s reserve team well ahead, but other teams too. We want to play a good role again and be among the top teams. We want to get the most out of it. If we end up in first place, we won’t complain.“
Sascha Glatzel (Bonner SC): ”I see BVB II and 1. FC Bocholt as the favorites for promotion. We want to make a good impression as a promoted team and secure our place in the league early on.”
Jakob Fimpel (FC Schalke 04 II): “I see a wider circle of favorites this year. Many teams have strengthened well. I expect Gütersloh, Lotte, Oberhausen, Fortuna Köln, Bocholt, and possibly a U23 team to be among the top teams. In my view, the objective of an U23 team will never change: it’s always about supporting the guys in their development and, ideally, making them interesting for our pros. Beyond that, we also pursue team goals. Last season, we saw how difficult it can be to win games in the Regionalliga. We want to avoid a situation like last year at all costs.”
Thomas Bertels (SC Paderborn II): “I would say Dortmund II, Fortuna Köln, Oberhausen, and Lotte are the favorites. We don’t want to have anything to do with relegation, we want to build on last season and, of course, train lots of guys for the professional ranks.”
Jens Langeneke (Fortuna Düsseldorf II): “There is no clear favorite this time, unlike in the last two years. I see Rot-Weiß Oberhausen and Fortuna Köln at the top. We want to get more points than last season and, of course, bring players into the first team.”
Eugen Polanski (Borussia Mönchengladbach II): “I’m relatively certain that Lotte, Gütersloh, and Bocholt will be playing at the top: Our goals are to play active and intense soccer. I expect us to finish between fourth and eighth place.“
Sascha Mölders (SC Wiedenbrück): ”1. FC Bocholt is the clear favorite. They have strengthened their team with some big names and have the financial resources to back it up. But it will be a close fight for the championship. This time, there is no clear favorite like in recent years with Rot-Weiss Essen, Preußen Münster, Alemannia Aachen, or MSV Duisburg. Anyone who knows me knows that I am ambitious. I am already looking toward a single-digit finish in the table. To achieve that, we have to work hard and become a real unit, then anything is possible. I already said when I was playing that mentality beats quality. That’s why we simply have to grow together and focus on community and attitude.“
Mike Tullberg (Borussia Dortmund II): ”I assume that the clubs Oberhausen, Fortuna Köln, Bocholt, Rödinghausen, and Gütersloh see a great opportunity to move up. We’ll make sure that we’re among the top teams at the end. But first we have to make sure we put together a good team and become a real unit. In addition, we are always focused on promotion and development. The goal is promotion – but it’s not a must.“
Torsten Nehrbauer (Sportfreunde Siegen): ”It’s clear to me that Dortmund’s U23 team is the favorite. You only have to look at the transfermarkt.de market value of BVB, then everyone should know what’s what. In addition, 1. FC Bocholt has also strengthened its squad very well. But the traditional clubs Rot-Weiß Oberhausen and Fortuna Köln also have good squads. There will certainly be a surprise team. We don’t want to be the mouse in front of the snake and leave our mark in the Regionalliga; we want to secure promotion as quickly as possible.“ Heiko Butscher (VfL Bochum II): ”For me, the top favorites are BVB II, Sportfreunde Lotte, Fortuna Köln, and FC Gütersloh. Our own goal is to stay up.“
Ismail Jaouri (SSVg Velbert): ”In my opinion, there is no clear favorite for the title this season. Several teams are among the favorites, including Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, Borussia Dortmund’s U23 team, and Fortuna Köln. But teams such as FC Gütersloh, Sportfreunde Lotte and Borussia Mönchengladbach II, who already impressed last season, should not be underestimated. I expect an exciting title race in the coming season. For us as a newly promoted team, the goal is hardly surprising: to stay up.”
Evangelos Sbonias, 1. FC Köln II: “I don’t see any clear favorites for the title next season. Several teams will be able to compete at the top, including Bocholt, Rödinghausen, and Lotte. We’ve had a major shake-up in our squad and have a young team. The first priority will be to get them used to the intensity so that they can be trained for our Bundesliga team’s licensed squad.”