Bundesliga 2026/27 Season Preview: Can Anyone Stop Bayern?

Bayern Munich scored 122 Bundesliga goals last season — the most in the competition's 63-year history. Harry Kane bagged 36 of them, winning the Golden Boot for a third straight year. Vincent Kompany sealed a domestic treble. The question heading into 2026/27 is not whether Bayern are favourites — it is whether anyone can even get close. Here is our full Bundesliga season preview.

Bayern Munich: A Machine Running at Full Power

The numbers from 2025/26 are staggering. Bayern finished on 89 points with a goal difference of +86, clinching the title with four matches to spare. Their 122 league goals smashed the club's own record of 101 set in 1971/72, and their front three of Kane, Michael Olise, and Luis Díaz combined for 94 goal contributions — the most by any Bundesliga trio on record.

Kompany extended his contract to 2029 after guiding Bayern to back-to-back league titles and the DFB-Pokal. His Bundesliga record reads 32 wins, seven draws, and just two defeats across 41 matches — 2.51 points per game.

The summer business has been typically purposeful. Nathaniel Brown is close to signing despite interest from Arsenal and Manchester City, while Ismael Saibari from PSV Eindhoven is also nearing a move. The potential departure of Min-jae Kim would need addressing, and the Michael Olise contract saga rumbles on — Real Madrid, PSG, and Liverpool are all circling, though indications are that Olise wants to stay.

Kane is now on 98 Bundesliga goals in just 94 appearances — the fastest anyone has reached that mark in the league's history. If he stays fit (and there is no reason to think he will not), a third consecutive title feels close to inevitable.

Borussia Dortmund: New Era Under Kovač

Dortmund finished second on 73 points — a respectable return, but still 16 points adrift of Bayern. Under Niko Kovač, the emphasis this summer is on squad rejuvenation, and sporting director Ole Book has been busy.

The confirmed signings so far tell a clear story: youth and potential. Centre-back Joane Gadou (19, from RB Salzburg, €19.5m) is a towering, modern defender. Left-back Kauã Prates (18, from Cruzeiro, €7m) adds depth at full-back, while Justin Lerma (18, from Independiente, €4m) is an exciting attacking talent.

The concern is what leaves. Julian Brandt is expected to depart as a free agent, Serhou Guirassy has attracted interest from AC Milan and Saudi Arabia, and Real Madrid have been sniffing around Nico Schlotterbeck — though the centre-back did sign a new deal through 2031. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, who kept 13 clean sheets last season, is also due an extension.

The return of Schalke 04 means the Revierderby is back after three years — and that alone makes Dortmund's season appointment viewing.

Bayer Leverkusen: Starting Over Again

Just two years after their unbeaten Bundesliga title under Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen find themselves rebuilding once more. A sixth-place finish in 2025/26 cost Kasper Hjulmand his job, and after a chaotic managerial search that saw Filipe Luís choose Monaco and Andoni Iraola prove unobtainable, the club turned to former Toulouse boss Carles Martínez Novell.

The squad has been significantly reshaped. Florian Wirtz left for Liverpool, and Victor Boniface departed on loan to Werder Bremen. Malik Tillman has been tasked with filling the Wirtz-shaped hole, supported by new arrivals Claudio Echeverri (from Manchester City), Eliesse Ben Seghir (Monaco), and Ibrahim Maza (Hertha Berlin).

There is talent here, but it is young and unproven at the highest level. A top-four challenge feels ambitious; consolidating in the Europa League places would represent a solid first season for Martínez Novell.

RB Leipzig and VfB Stuttgart: The Champions League Contenders

RB Leipzig finished third on 65 points after a strong run of form — seven wins in their last eight league matches. Yet they still sacked manager Ole Werner despite Champions League qualification, suggesting the board expects more. Their replacement has not yet been confirmed, which adds uncertainty heading into pre-season.

VfB Stuttgart (4th, 62 points) secured Champions League football on the final day with a 2–2 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt. They also reached the DFB-Pokal final, losing 3–0 to Bayern. Deniz Undav was the Bundesliga's second-highest scorer with 19 goals, and if he stays, Stuttgart will be dangerous again.

Hoffenheim (5th, 61 points) were the surprise package. They qualified for the Europa League and narrowly missed out on the Champions League — expect them to push hard again.

The Promoted Clubs: Schalke, Elversberg & Paderborn

Schalke 04 are back. After three seasons in the second division, the Gelsenkirchen club won the 2. Bundesliga title with 70 points and return to the top flight as champions. The Revierderby against Dortmund will be one of the most anticipated fixtures of the season.

SV Elversberg will make their Bundesliga debut — the 59th club in the league's history. After losing in the promotion play-off the previous year, they went one better by finishing second and sealing automatic promotion on the final day with a 3–0 win over Münster.

SC Paderborn complete the trio after winning the relegation/promotion play-off against Wolfsburg, who drop to the second tier for the first time in their history. Paderborn return to the Bundesliga after six years away.

All three will face an uphill battle. Heidenheim, St. Pauli, and Wolfsburg were relegated, and history suggests at least one promoted club usually goes straight back down.

Our Prediction

Bayern are going to win this league again. Kompany's project is only getting stronger, Kane shows no signs of slowing down, and the gap to second place was an enormous 16 points last season. Barring injuries to Kane or a shock Olise departure, a third consecutive title is theirs to lose.

Behind them, Dortmund should hold second place — the squad is being refreshed intelligently, and Kovač's 3-4-3 system suits their personnel. The real battle is for third and fourth, where Stuttgart, Leipzig, and a resurgent Leverkusen will scrap it out for Champions League places.

Our predicted top four: Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, VfB Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen.

The Bundesliga returns on 28 August. Set up your prediction league on ScorePit now and put your Bundesliga knowledge to the test against your mates.

Sources

This post was researched using the following sources:

• Bundesliga 2025/26 final table — Bundesliga.com
• 2025–26 Bundesliga — Wikipedia
• Bundesliga table and standings — NBC Sports
• Harry Kane crowned Bundesliga top scorer for third year running — FC Bayern
• Harry Kane top scorer 2025/26 — Bundesliga.com
• Vincent Kompany signs new deal — Bundesliga.com
• Bayern Munich 2026 summer transfer window — Bavarian Football Works
• Borussia Dortmund 2026 transfers — ESPN
• Leverkusen expected to part ways with Hjulmand — Bavarian Football Works
• European qualification 2025/26 — Bundesliga.com
• 2. Bundesliga promotion race — Bundesliga.com
• 2026–27 Bundesliga — Wikipedia

Cover image: Aerial view of the Allianz Arena, Munich, Maximilian Dörrbecker via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5.