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| DFL-Supercup | |
|---|---|
| Name | DFL-Supercup |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Organiser | Deutsche Fußball Liga |
| Region | Germany |
| Current champion | Bayern Munich |
| Most successful club | Bayern Munich (12) |
DFL-Supercup is an annual German association football match contested by the winners of the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal. The event serves as a curtain-raiser for the German domestic season and is organised by the Deutsche Fußball Liga and the Deutscher Fußball-Bund in concert with professional clubs such as FC Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, FC Schalke 04, and RB Leipzig. Historically linked to competitions like the DFB-Supercup and influenced by continental events such as the UEFA Super Cup and national fixtures including the FA Community Shield, the match features prominent players from squads like Manuel Neuer, Mats Hummels, Thomas Müller, and managers like Hansi Flick, Julian Nagelsmann, and Jürgen Klopp.
The fixture originated in 1987, evolving from earlier encounters between cup winners and league champions similar to matches in England, Spain, and Italy. Clubs including Hamburger SV, Bayer Leverkusen, VfB Stuttgart, and Werder Bremen participated in early editions, while political and organisational shifts involving the Deutsche Fußball Liga and Deutscher Fußball-Bund led to pauses and rebrandings. The competition was reintroduced and formalised in the 2010s, with high-profile editions featuring encounters between Borussia Mönchengladbach and Eintracht Frankfurt, and later contested by globally recognised sides such as Paris Saint-Germain only in cross-border exhibitions. Over time, player transfers—such as moves involving Robert Lewandowski, Arjen Robben, Franck Ribéry—and managerial changes influenced club fortunes, while domestic rivalries with clubs like 1. FC Köln and Hannover 96 shaped public interest.
The match is a single-leg fixture, typically scheduled prior to the start of the Bundesliga season and adopting rules aligned with UEFA standards. If the match ends level after regulation time, winners are decided by extra time and, if necessary, a penalty shoot-out, following procedures used in tournaments like the DFB-Pokal and UEFA Champions League. Matchday protocols often mirror those of international finals such as the FIFA World Cup Final in terms of trophy presentation, with officiating by referees from the Deutscher Fußball-Bund roster including officials who have worked in competitions like the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Nations League.
Qualification requires victory in the preceding season’s Bundesliga or the DFB-Pokal. When a club secures both titles, the Bundesliga runners-up—clubs such as Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, or VfL Wolfsburg—are invited, mirroring contingencies used in competitions like the Supercopa de España. Participants often include established squads with players from national teams such as Germany national football team, Poland national football team, and France national football team, creating showpiece matchups between stars like Serge Gnabry, Erling Haaland, and Joshua Kimmich.
Several editions produced memorable moments and records: high-scoring affairs involving FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund set attendance and television-viewing marks comparable to major domestic finals. Individual records include multiple appearances and awards by players like Manuel Neuer and goal-scoring exploits by forwards previously contracted to clubs such as Bayer Leverkusen and Hamburger SV. Clubs such as FC Schalke 04 and Eintracht Frankfurt claimed surprise victories that echoed famous upsets in tournaments like the DFB-Pokal and UEFA Europa League. Managers with strong Supercup pedigrees include those who have also won continental honours like Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti in other contexts, while clubs have used the fixture to debut tactical ideas later seen in UEFA Champions League campaigns.
The trophy presented echoes the prestige of domestic silverware and is awarded alongside a Most Valuable Player prize and a Man of the Match accolade, paralleling awards given in finals such as the UEFA Super Cup. Winners’ medals are distributed to squad members and coaching staff, with presentation ceremonies often attended by representatives of organisations like the Deutsche Fußball Liga and sponsors linked to tournaments such as the Bundesliga corporate partners. The physical cup has undergone redesigns and is displayed alongside other club honours like Bundesliga titles and DFB-Pokal trophies in club museums.
Television and streaming rights are held by major broadcasters that cover German football, comparable to contracts seen in the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal, with international distribution to markets where clubs like FC Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig maintain large followings. Sponsors include corporate partners from sectors represented by brands that also back competitions like the UEFA Champions League and FIFA World Cup, and matchday activation features hospitality by organisations linked to major events such as the Olympic Games and UEFA Europa Conference League.
The fixture is hosted at major stadiums across Germany, including arenas used by FC Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena, by Borussia Dortmund at the Signal Iduna Park, and by other clubs such as Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen and Red Bull Arena in Leipzig. Attendance figures often rival early-season derbies and reflect capacities seen during Bundesliga fixtures, with ticketing managed through club outlets and the Deutsche Fußball Liga. Matches have also taken place at neutral sites when logistical considerations or celebrations of regional football traditions involved cities like Hamburg, Cologne, and Stuttgart.
Category:Football competitions in Germany