Uwe Koschinat will remain head coach of Rot-Weiss Essen beyond the summer of 2026. Assistant coach Dominik Ernst has also extended his contract at Hafenstraße.
This was something that very few of those involved would have expected. At 7:08 p.m., a murmur went through the hall at the Rot-Weiss Essen general meeting. Marc-Nicolai Pfeifer, CEO of RWE, announced that head coach Uwe Koschinat had extended his contract, which was due to expire in the summer of 2026.
“In the second half of last season, Uwe Koschinat led us out of a challenging situation with great clarity and enormous commitment, securing our place in the league early on. On top of that, we won the Lower Rhine Cup and qualified for the DFB Cup – successes that clearly show how consistently Uwe and his coaching team work,” says Pfeifer.
He adds: “We are satisfied with the sporting development over the past twelve months and at the same time see further potential – and want to continue developing this path together with Uwe and his coaching team in a targeted manner. Continuity in the sporting arena is a key component for sustainable success. We are therefore delighted that we have been able to extend our collaboration and look forward to the rest of the season with conviction and confidence.”
Koschinat, who has been with Rot-Weiss Essen since December 12, 2024, explains: “Last winter, when I took over the team in a relegation spot, I quickly realized how important RWE is here in Essen and the region. The past twelve months have been intense and very demanding for everyone involved – and they have left a big, positive impression on me. I was quickly able to form a united front with the coaching team, and a great sense of community also developed with the fans in the second half of the season. We managed to stay in the league and won the Lower Rhine Cup.”
The Koblenz native took over RWE in 18th place in the table, three points behind the safety zone of the 3rd division. He led Rot-Weiss through a strong second half of the season to secure their place in the league and finish in 8th place in the final table for the 2024/25 season. He also won the Lower Rhine Cup in May 2025 (2-1 final victory at MSV Duisburg), thereby qualifying for the first round of the 2025/26 DFB Cup. “Now I am proud to have signed a contract with Rot-Weiss Essen for the second time. I am approaching the big challenges and high goals of this season with at least the same ambition as I did the relegation battle last season. I am very happy to continue to be part of RWE’s sporting development and to continue working at Hafenstraße,” said Koschinat.
The contract extension with assistant coach Dominik Ernst is also finalized: The 35-year-old, who has been part of the RWE coaching team since the start of the season, will also remain at Hafenstraße beyond the summer of 2026.