FCS starts the third division season with a hot duel in Cottbus!

FCS starts the third division season with a hot duel in Cottbus!

The time has finally come: 1. FC Saarbrücken is about to start the new third division season and will play against FC Energie Cottbus on the first weekend in August. After the FCS narrowly failed to gain promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga last season, the focus is fully on the challenges ahead. It's high time to introduce the focus of the new season!

Both teams, Saarbrücken and Cottbus, already fought for the promotion relegation place in the previous season. This promises to be an exciting opening game in which the course for the coming season can be set early. The German Football Association (DFB) recently announced the game schedule, which is causing fans to look forward to it. The first home game for the FCS follows a week later against FC Viktoria Köln, who also has a name in the league.

The first games and important dates

The first half of the season will be played in a tight time frame until the winter break, with all 19 games scheduled by then. An exciting highlight is coming up at the end of the year: On the final match day before Christmas, 1. FC Saarbrücken will face FC Hansa Rostock in the Ostseestadion. Fans should also note the reunion with second division relegated SV Wehen Wiesbaden, as the duel takes place at the end of September.

Another exciting date in the calendar is the Southwest derby against SV Waldhof Mannheim, which will take place on the first weekend in December. Football enthusiasts can look forward to exciting encounters that will demand everything from the teams. The 2025/2026 season ends on May 16, 2026, when the FCS welcomes Rostock to Ludwigspark for the season finale.

Match dates and kick-off times

The DFB has also set the kick-off times for the games. These remain unchanged compared to last season:

• Freitagabend: 19.00 Uhr
• Samstag: sechs Spiele, fünf um 14.00 Uhr und eines um 16.30 Uhr
• Sonntag: drei Spiele um 13.30 Uhr, 16.30 Uhr und 19.30 Uhr
• Wochenspieltage (Dienstag und Mittwoch): jeweils fünf Spiele ab 19.00 Uhr

The tension is literally in the air. The fans of 1. FC Saarbrücken are ready to support their team in the fight for the best places in the table. Let's be surprised to see how the new season develops and whether the FCS finally achieves the long-awaited promotion to the 2nd Bundesliga.

For more information about the games and the league, we recommend taking a look at the website kicker.de.