DFL-Supercup

Lore & Background

The competition was founded in 1987 as the DFB-Supercup. From 1992 to 1996, it was known as the Panasonic DFB-Supercup. It was played up to the 1996 season, then replaced by the DFB-Ligapokal from 1997–98. In 2008, the match returned as the T-Home Supercup, featuring double winners Bayern Munich and DFB-Pokal finalists Borussia Dortmund. The competition was reinstated as the DFL-Supercup from the 2010–11 season. From the 2025–26 season, it was renamed in honour of Franz Beckenbauer.

In Their Own Story

Under the humming floodlights of the Allianz Arena, the cool August air crackled with a tension that only a Supercup could generate. There were no league tables to hide behind yet; this was pure football, stripped bare to its essentials. Bayern's veterans, clad in their iconic red, locked eyes with rivals waiting on the pristine turf, knowing this single match would define the narrative of the coming year. As the referee's whistle pierced the roar of 75,000 screaming fans, the stakes became clear: it wasn't just about silverware. It was a statement of dominance, a small but heavy piece of metal that signaled who truly ruled German football before the long march to May even began.

Reader's Guide

Since 2010, if one team wins the double (league and cup), the winner plays the runner-up of the Bundesliga. No extra time is played in the case of a draw after 90 minutes; the match is then decided by a penalty shoot-out. The match typically is played at the home of the cup holders, or the Bundesliga runners-up in the case a team wins the double, though the DFL ultimately decides on the venue.

Did You Know?

• The competition was originally called the DFB-Supercup and was run by the German Football Association.
• From 1992 to 1996, the cup was sponsored by Panasonic.
• The 2008 edition was a one-year replacement for the DFB-Ligapokal due to schedule crowding from UEFA Euro 2008.
• The competition was renamed the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup from the 2025–26 season.