German Soccer Federation Cup (DFB Pokal) First Round

The hunt for the coveted DFB Pokal will kick off this weekend with 64 teams starting the contest. The competition permits clubs in lower and amateur leagues to compete against professional teams in both the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga. The competition will be played starting Friday the 17th August through to August 20th, one week ahead of the Bundesliga's start of a new season.

For the past two years Borussia Dortmund has come out on top. Bayern Munich defeated Dortmund in the DFB Supercup, which matches the Bundesliga winner against the winner of the DFB Cup. Last season Dortmund took both as a result the second place club, Bayern Munich competed in the Super Cup.

The matchup for the DFB Cup is decided by a draw, by placing Bundesliga clubs in one pot, while the lower leagues are drawn from another pot. The amateur clubs get the home team advantage.

In the first round Bundesliga clubs are matched as follows:

17 Aug SV Wilhemshaven vs FC Augsburg

18 Aug FC Oberneuland vs Borussia Dortmund

18 Aug SV Falkensee-Finkenburg vs VFB Stuttgart

18 Aug SV Viktoria Hamburg vs SC Freiburg

18 Aug Alemannia Aachen vs Bourussia MoenchenGladbach

18 Aug Carl Zeiss Jena vs Bayer Leverkusen

18 Aug Berliner AK07 vs 1899 Hoffenheim

18 Aug FC Schoenenberg 95 vs VFL Wolfsburg

18 Aug Kickers Offenbach vs SpVgg Greuther Fuerth

19 Aug FC Noettingen vs Hanover 96

19 Aug Karlsruher SC vs Hamburger SV

19 Aug TV Havelse vs 1.FC Nuernberg

19 Aug 1. FC Saarbruecken vs Schalke 04

19 Aug FC Erzgebirge Aue vs Eintracht Frankfurt

19 Aug Preussen Muenster vs Werder Bremen

19 Aug Wacker Burghausesn vs Fortuna Duesseldorf

19 Aug SV Rosscheid/Verscheid vs Mainz 05

20 Aug SSV Jahn Regensburg vs Bayern Muenchen

For the complete schedule check DFB.de

In the past it has not been uncommon that Bundesliga clubs have been eliminated in the first round. What will the surprises be this year?

All games have to be decided with a winner. Should there be a draw after regulation time, two 15 minute halves will be added. Should there still be a draw the match will be decided with penalty kicks.