Germany’s new football season begins under the lights at Signal Iduna Park. Bayern Munich, fresh off a Bundesliga and DFB Cup double in 2025/26, travel to Borussia Dortmund for the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup on Saturday, kick-off at 8:30pm local time.
Bayern lifted both trophies on offer at the top of last season, which is why the Supercup pits the champions against the league runners-up rather than the cup winners.
The hosts have added European pedigree to their midfield in the last week. Dortmund confirmed the signing of Joey Veerman from PSV Eindhoven, handing the 27-year-old Dutch international a five-year contract through June 2031 and the number 25 shirt.
“Joey is a truly outstanding player who possesses a great deal of creativity, technical skill, and vision,” sporting director Ole Book said.
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Veerman leaves PSV after three consecutive Eredivisie titles and 41 appearances last season.
Best defence meets record-breaking attack
Under Kovač, who took charge in early February 2025 with Dortmund sitting 11th, the club climbed to second and posted the Bundesliga’s stingiest defence, conceding just 34 goals. Nico Schlotterbeck and Waldemar Anton now stand between the yellow wall and a Bayern attack that broke the league’s goals record on its way to the double.
Central to that attacking output is Harry Kane, back after his summer with England. The striker sounded a note of caution about his own workload at Signal Iduna Park.
“Whether it’s 90 minutes or 45 depends on how I feel this week,” Kane said.
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Kompany’s side has other doubts. Konrad Laimer went off early in a friendly against RB Leipzig with what looked like a foot or knee problem, and Min-jae Kim also left the same match with a thigh complaint, according to Goal.
Bellingham and Nmecha to anchor Dortmund
Dortmund’s central pairing is expected to be Jobe Bellingham alongside Felix Nmecha, who started all four of Germany’s matches at the summer World Cup. Bayern are set to line up Aleksandar Pavlović with Tom Bischof at the base. Up front, Serhou Guirassy, 17 Bundesliga goals last season, remains Kovač’s principal threat.
Bayern lead the previous Supercup head-to-head 5-4, and prevailed 3-2 at Signal Iduna Park in the sides’ most recent Bundesliga meeting on 28 February 2026.
The competition carries the name of Franz Beckenbauer, who died in January 2024, and the match will be broadcast internationally. The Bundesliga proper follows six days later on 28 August, when Bayern host VfB Stuttgart in the opening fixture.
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Saturday would deliver silverware in Kovač’s first full pre-season at Dortmund. For Kompany, another cup at the Yellow Wall would carry over before Stuttgart travel to Munich six days later.
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