Important media rights for the traditional competition remain unsold for the time being. It is only at the second attempt that the DFB finds two TV broadcasters.

At the second attempt, the German Football Association has sold the free-to-air TV rights for a total of 30 live matches in the cup competition.

In the four seasons from 2026/27 to 2029/30, the public broadcaster ZDF and the free-to-air private broadcaster RTL will continue to broadcast 15 matches live each season as the association’s new TV partners, including one final each. ARD had already secured a package of the same size. Sky had once again secured the pay-TV rights for all 63 matches per season. “With our existing partners ARD, ZDF, and Sky, as well as our new live and highlight partner RTL, the DFB Cup will enjoy even more comprehensive media coverage,” said Holger Blask, managing director of DFB GmbH & Co. KG: “The decision not to award the rights package in May proved to be the right one.”

At the auction, no broadcaster initially came forward for the second free-TV rights package. Although broadcasts of the traditional competition are guaranteed to attract high ratings, the association was left with a large portion of its live rights for free-TV.

Apart from ARD, no other broadcaster was willing to pay enough. “Due to economically inadequate offers,” the DFB decided against the bids received at the beginning of May and subsequently conducted individual negotiations with interested broadcasters.

The RTL Group is continuing to expand its sports offering. In December, it acquired the top matches of the 2nd Bundesliga on Saturday evenings from the German Soccer League, among other things. RTL’s soccer offering also includes live matches of the German national soccer team as well as the Europa and Conference Leagues.

ZDF had already acquired a cup package for the current rights cycle. The four-year contract ends after the 2025/26 season, during which ZDF will alternate with ARD in broadcasting the live matches.