Cologne. Football fans in Germany are looking forward with great anticipation to the start of the 2025/26 second division season. On Friday, August 1st, FC Schalke 04 will open the 52nd season of the German second tier with a home game against Hertha BSC. For this reason, FanQ surveyed over 7,000 football enthusiasts about how excited they are for the competition, who has the best chance of winning the title, which team will have to fight for survival, and which club has strengthened itself the best.

Fans in a fever for the second division: Great interest and high expectations

The enthusiasm for the second division remains high. On average, survey participants rate their anticipation with 4.2 out of five possible stars, with more than half (54.6 %) of the fans even giving the highest mark. A total of 60.5 percent plan to follow at least one match per matchday live – a clear indication of the league's appeal.

This high expectation is also reflected in the assessment of league quality: almost three-quarters of fans (73.5 %) rate the 2. Bundesliga as having slightly (19.3 %) or even significantly more excitement (54.2 %) than the Bundesliga, while a further 16.1 percent see the second-highest German division as being at least on a similar level. The impressive figure of 64.7 percent fully confirms that the German football second division is considered the best second division in Europe.

But it's not just the sporting quality that impresses fans – the emotional environment also plays a crucial role. When asked about the stadium with the best atmosphere in the league, FC Schalke 04's Veltins Arena finishes in first place by a clear margin (40.7 %). In second and third place are the Olympiastadion in Berlin with 20.2 percent and the Fritz-Walter-Stadion in Kaiserslautern with 18.2 percent of the vote – all traditional arenas that once again promise large crowds and an impressive stadium atmosphere this season.

Hertha BSC raises high expectations, Schalke divides opinions

From general enthusiasm to specific title contenders: when it comes to promotion candidates, from the perspective of supporters, one team is above all a certainty: Hertha BSC Berlin. 45.7 percent of respondents consider the capital club's squad to be the strongest in the 2. Bundesliga. The expectations in the promotion race are also clear: a total of 60.2 percent of football fans believe the "Old Lady" will finish the season in one of the top three positions. Following them are Fortuna Düsseldorf (53.5 %) and relegated VfL Bochum (36.0 %) in the ranking of the biggest promotion favourites.

In contrast, other prominent names receive less confidence: Trust in Holstein Kiel is surprisingly weak. Despite their recent relegation from the top flight, only 16.4 %of voters see the northern team in a promotion spot. This places the Störche behind 1. FC Kaiserslautern (29.7 %) and FC Schalke 04 (21.1 % ). This also aligns with the survey participants' assessment of coach Marcel Rapp's team's promotion chances. On average, they award only 2.3 out of five possible stars for this.

While the promotion spots seem hotly contested, a clearer picture is emerging at the bottom of the table: A total of 76.4 percent of fans assume that Preußen Münster will have to take the bitter step into the third tier at the end of the season. Eintracht Braunschweig (47.4 %) and Dynamo Dresden (43.9 %) are also under particular scrutiny in the assessment of the supporters. Furthermore, voters predict that SV Elversberg (29.4 %), who narrowly failed to gain promotion to the Bundesliga in the play-offs just a few weeks ago, as well as SpVgg Greuther Fürth (24.1 %), will also find themselves in a relegation battle next season.

These forecasts largely align with the assessment of squad quality: in the eyes of football enthusiasts, Münster (29.6 %), Dynamo Dresden (16.2 %), Eintracht Braunschweig (13.5 %), SV Elversberg (11.2 %), and Greuther Fürth (7.0 %) have the weakest teams in the league.

In contrast, Arminia Bielefeld represents a positive exception among the promoted teams: The probability that last season's cup finalist and newly promoted team from the 3rd division will stay up in the coming season is rated relatively optimistically with an average of 3.3 stars. Only one in five (20.8 %) predicts the East Westphalians will end up in a relegation spot.

The view of the league's three major traditional clubs is particularly interesting. FC Schalke 04, 1. FC Kaiserslautern and Hertha BSC Berlin not only offer everything a fan's heart could desire in terms of atmosphere – but they are also assessed very differently in sporting terms.

Opinions at Schalke 04 are particularly divided: while 13.8 percent believe the "Knappen" will achieve promotion, the majority see them more in the midfield – 35.7 percent expect a finish between 7th and 9th place, with another 22.2 percent even expecting them to finish slightly lower. The forecasts are correspondingly split: almost one in five (19.1 %) considers the Gelsenkirchen club to be the potential surprise of the upcoming season, while more than a third of voters (34.6 %) see the traditional club as the biggest potential candidate for disappointment.

The assessment of Kaiserslautern is clearly more uniform: 25.1 percent see chances of promotion, while two-thirds of football fans (66.0%) predict a solid performance in the top (44.2 %) or secure mid-table (21.8 %) positions. In contrast, the Palatinate team is rarely seen as having potential for surprises or disappointment, which all in all points to a solid season with long-term Bundesliga ambitions.

However, expectations are clearest at Hertha BSC: The Old Lady is not only mentioned very frequently when asked about the strongest squad or the biggest promotion contenders, but an individual look also confirms this impression. Almost two-thirds (65.2 %) expect a final placing in the top 3, and only 5.9 percent of respondents expect the capital club to finish the season in the bottom half of the table. Nevertheless, Hertha BSC is considered a potential disappointment of the upcoming season by almost one in ten (9.9 %) – further evidence of the pressure on the top favourites.

The high expectations for Hertha are also reflected on an individual level: Hertha captain Fabian Reese is considered the most promising candidate for the top scorer award by more than one in three fans (33.9%). He is followed by teammate Dawid Kownacki (15.7 %) and Kenan Karaman from FC Schalke 04 (9.9 %). Outside chances are also attributed to Martijn Kaars of 1. FC Magdeburg (4.8 %) and Semir Telalović from 1. FC Nürnberg (3.1 %).

Reese's exceptional status becomes even clearer when we look at the potentially best player of the upcoming season. Over half of football fans (50.9 %) see the attacking player at the very top. Karaman (9.9 %), also mentioned previously, and new Hertha signing Maurice Krattenmacher (5.2 %) complete the podium, but follow at a considerable distance.

Ultimately, the fans' anticipation seems justified: the 2. Bundesliga has established itself as an independent brand, which many even find more exciting than the top flight. With Hertha as the clear favourite, Schalke as an unpredictable traditional club, and a wide range of promotion and relegation candidates, the new season promises exactly the drama that makes the German second division so special. The opening match between the Royal Blues and the Old Lady on August 1st could already set the tone for a memorable season.

FanQ is the "voice of the fans". It is the only football platform where the opinion of the fans takes centre stage. The experienced FanQ editorial team provides daily surveys via the web and app. Fans can vote on their favourite clubs and all relevant football topics. FanQ is interactive. Fans can exchange opinions, interact socially and ask their own questions. This results in a representative picture of the mood. FanQ also creates long-term studies to research complex topics. Registration for the web community and use of the app are free of charge. FanQ is based in Cologne.

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Kilian Weber/Joachim Lammert 
Managing Director