Postmen against professionals: DFB Cup promises exciting sensations!

Postmen against professionals: DFB Cup promises exciting sensations!

Next weekend, more precisely on August 12, 2025, the first main round of the DFB Cup is on the program. A spectacle that not only thrills the fans, but also makes the hearts of amateur footballers beat faster. This year, postmen, police officers, journeymen and students have the chance to compete with their amateur clubs against the big names in football. Teams like the Oberliga footballers SV Atlas Delmenhorst and various clubs from Pirmasens, Engers, Bremen-Hemelingen and Stahnsdorf dream of the great sensation of victory against a professional club. North Sea newspaper reports.

The DFB Cup has made a name for itself as the tournament in which underdogs often have the opportunity to win against the big Goliaths. Regional league teams generally have a better chance of challenging the established first and second division teams. This is not least due to the fact that many clubs in the 4th league work under semi-professional conditions and therefore have a different approach to training and game preparation. As a rule, even third division teams have already started their season and can look back on some tricky games, which makes them hungry for more surprises. Sports show added.

The fight between amateurs and professionals

The road to the DFB Cup is rocky for most amateur clubs. This season, 16 regional league teams are taking part in the competition, but promotion to higher leagues remains a major challenge. Clubs like the Offenbacher Kickers have been fighting for promotion to the 3rd league for over a decade and dream of a better financial basis. Managing director Christian Hock identifies “money” as the main reason for the differences between the leagues. The Offenbacher Kickers' budget is around 2.5 million euros, while that of the second division club 1. FC Magdeburg is around 12 million euros. Sports show explained.

According to Hock, the regional league professionals may even have more training hours per year than their colleagues from the Bundesliga because they have to struggle less with tight schedules. This could have a positive impact on their quality of play when they compete against the higher leagues. The individual skills that result from this training can be crucial, especially in a tournament where nuance often matters.

Amateur football and its challenges

The challenges for amateur clubs are diverse. The German Football Association (DFB) and the other associations are committed to strengthening amateur football through various programs. This also includes the amateur football master plan, which focuses on the further training of club employees and the promotion of talent. The support comes in the form of financial resources, which have been increased to 13 million euros annually and are tied to charitable tasks. DFB provides insight.

Modern technologies and services such as DFBnet also reduce the administrative costs for the clubs. Completing passport applications or referee appointments online makes life easier for the clubs and could create more time for what's important, namely the game.

The DFB also remains politically active to improve framework conditions, most recently with the extension of the useful life of artificial turf playing fields. The efforts are bearing fruit, and it remains to be hoped that the amateur clubs can maintain their place in German football not only in the cup, but also in the long term.