Drama for relegation! Heidenheim and Saarbrücken fight for ascent!

Drama for relegation! Heidenheim and Saarbrücken fight for ascent!

On May 23, 2025, the 2024/25 season ends for most football clubs in the first to third division in Germany. This week, the eagerly awaited relegation games around a place in the federal and 2nd Bundesliga will take place. Four clubs are affected that compete against each other in return games to take on higher league tasks in the coming season.

In the duel of the relegation to the Bundesliga, the 1st FC Heidenheim meets SV Elversberg. Heidenheim, which played in the UEFA Conference League this season, ended the Bundesliga season in 15th place. On the other hand, the SV Elversberg, who, as the third in the 2nd Bundesliga, moves into the relegation and had chances for direct ascent until the last matchday. Pleasing for Elversberg: The club has not lost a home game since March and comes to Heidenheim with a lot of self -confidence.

results and framework conditions of the games

The first leg ended with an exciting 2: 2 draw, with Heidenheim led 2-0 at half time. In the second half, Siersleben and Honsak were able to score the gates for Elversberg and secure the draw. For the second leg, which takes place on Monday, May 26, 2025, at 8:30 p.m., the audience has the opportunity to follow the game live at Sky and Sat.1

At the same time there is the relegation between the 2nd Bundesliga and the 3rd league, in which 1. FC Saarbrücken meets Eintracht Braunschweig. Braunschweig ended the season in 16th place in the 2nd Bundesliga, while Saarbrücken goes to the relegation as third in the third division. Saarbrücken secured third place with a 2-1 win against Borussia Dortmund II. In the first leg, however, Saarbrücken lost 0: 2. The second leg is scheduled for Tuesday, May 27th at 8:30 p.m. and is also broadcast live at Sat.1 and Sky.

historical context of the relegation

The relegation to the German Bundesliga has been around since 1982 and has developed into an integral part of German football since 2008/09. In recent years, the third last last league only won ten times in 40 duels against the third -placed people in the lower league. Historically, it has been shown that foreign teams do better in relegation; In the past 13 years, second division clubs have only won twice. However, the organizers of the relegation emphasize that these games are a test for the competitiveness of the second division teams and are often perceived as controversial, especially due to unequal financial conditions between the leagues.

For the spectators, all four relegation parties can be seen on the free TV from SAT.1 and in Pay TV at Sky. These transmissions are a new success that has been reproduced since 2022 to make the relegation games accessible to a wider audience.

With the beginning of the relegation, the anticipation of fans and clubs increase equally, while the pressure on the players and trainers increases. The outcome of these games could significantly influence the next steps of the clubs involved, be it with regard to financial means or sporting careers.