Borussia Dortmund 2026/27 season preview: Can Niko Kovač's side challenge Bayern Munich?
Borussia Dortmund head into the new season looking to take the fight to defending champions Bayern Munich. Bolstered by some youthful transfer additions over the summer, BVB are clearly planning for the future, but do they already have what it takes to end their 14-year wait for a Bundesliga title?
Borussia Dortmund
2025/26 finish: 2nd
Pre-season results: 3-1 win vs. Rot-Weiss Oberhausen, 2-1 loss vs. Fortuna Düsseldorf, 1-0 loss vs. Cerezo Osaka, 1-0 win vs. FC Tokyo, 3-2 win vs. Arsenal, 2-2 draw vs. Roma
First three fixtures: Hamburg (H), Hoffenheim (A), Paderborn (H)
What to expect?
A breath of fresh air has arrived at Dortmund. By appointing Ole Book as sporting director in March, BVB signalled their intention to go back to their roots. During his previous stint at Elversberg, Book demonstrated an eye for developing talented youngsters with high potential. Seemingly, the Black and Yellows intend to place greater emphasis on such players once again, just as they did, with great success, in the past.
Two summer arrivals who exemplify the club's new transfer strategy are 19-year-old defender Joane Gadou (signed from Red Bull Salzburg) and 18-year-old attacker Konstantinos Karetsas (from Genk). Both players got on the scoresheet in Dortmund's 3–2 friendly victory over Champions League finalists Arsenal, which also highlighted head coach Kovač's willingness to turn to youth when required.
His side carried that good form into the Supercup a few weeks later, as despite suffering a narrow 2-1 loss to Bayern, BVB were competitive in the second half and arguably deserved a draw by the time of the final whistle. As for the Bundesliga, a top-four finish looks well within reach, even if the title might not... yet.
Watch: Karetsas: 'Dortmund are one of my favourite clubs'
Key new signing: Giannis Konstantelias
Alongside Karetasas, another Greece international arrived in Dortmund this summer. Aged 23, Konstantelias isn't quite as young as his compatriot and new BVB teammate, but the creative midfielder still has plenty of room to develop. He is considered a legend at his former club, PAOK Thessaloniki, so much so that fans attempted to block his move to Germany.
Konstantelias is a player who could help BVB break down some of the Bundesliga's most stubborn backlines, thanks to his close ball control and dribbling skills. Last season, he recorded 14 goals and nine assists in 40 competitive matches - figures he is hoping to better at Dortmund: "We see a lot of potential in him and are convinced that he fits very well into our team," said Book.
See all of Dortmund's summer comings and goings here
Key player: Felix Nmecha
Since moving from Wolfsburg to Dortmund in the summer of 2023, Nmecha has become increasingly important to the Black and Yellows with each passing year. He has now evolved into an indispensable member of BVB's midfield engine room. He dictates the tempo of the game, works hard defensively, and consistently provides key attacking impetus. In recognition of his performances last season, he was called up to Germany's World Cup squad and established himself as a regular starter for his country.
Check out Dortmund's new jerseys for 2026/27
The fact that Borussia were able to extend Nmecha's contract until 2030 was a major coup for managing director Lars Ricken. He said of Nmecha: "He fully identifies with Borussia Dortmund and is a key component of our strategic squad planning. His contract extension signals continuity and underscores our conviction that we will be successful together in the coming years."
Watch: The best of Nmecha!
Talking point
For all of the pre-season hype surrounding Dortmund's new signings, question marks remain over the club's ability to mount a serious title challenge this season. Kovač remains realistic about the prospect of rivalling Bayern, recently stating: "We are here to challenge, but last season we were 16 points behind them - 16 is a big gap. To close this gap, a lot has to happen. We have to play over our capacities, and Bayern also have to play under their capacity."
Dortmund made great strides in the Bundesliga last season, earning 17 more points than they managed in 2024/25. If they can take a similar leap forward this time around, anything is possible for Kovač's young charges. It all begins on Matchday 1, when Hamburg come to Signal Idnuna Park.
Follow Dortmund's Bundesliga opener against Hamburg here!
