Bundesliga preview: Title favourites, relegation battle, top scorer, league table prediction, a complete guide to the 2025-26 season

The top division of German football returns on Friday, with a blockbuster clash between Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich and visitors RB Leipzig set to kick the 2025-26 season off.

Bayer Leverkusen lost their crown as the top flight's best team last term, and they begin their own campaign on Saturday at home against Hoffenheim.

Following the departure of boss Xabi Alonso, as well as a number of high-profile players, new head coach Erik ten Hag may find it difficult to catch the Bavarians.

Borussia Dortmund will be hoping to make their voice heard in the title race, while there is sure to be a significant battle between the likes of Freiburg and Mainz 05 for the division's European spots.

At the other end of the table, Hamburger SV and FC Koln earned their way back to the top flight, but the duo face a fight to stay in the league this season.

Here, Sports Mole previews the upcoming Bundesliga campaign, including a prediction of what the final table could look like.

The 2025-26 Bundesliga title favourites: Will Bayern Munich be beaten by Borussia Dortmund?

Bayern Munich have long been the dominant force in German football, winning 12 of the last 13 leagues, including the 2024-25 title.

Boss Vincent Kompany managed to guide the Bavarians to 82 points, 13 more than second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, and the club scored 99 goals in the league.

The champions' total return was at least 27 more than any of the the other 17 teams in the division managed, and with the likes of Harry Kane still at the Allianz Arena, it would not be surprising if they netted a similar total in 2025-26.

Leverkusen may have ambitions of challenging, but they will have to compete without talisman Florian Wirtz, wing-back Jeremie Frimpong, midfielder Granit Xhaka and centre-back Jonathan Tah following their exits this transfer window; the latter signed for Bayern.

Ten Hag had been sacked by Manchester United in October 2024, but though the English side disappointed in the Premier League, the Dutch boss did win two trophies during his time at the club.

Perhaps Borussia Dortmund can mount a challenge under the direction of head coach Niko Kovac, who was appointed in January as the successor to Nuri Sahin.

BVB collected 22 points from a possible 24 in their final eight games of the campaign, and they also pushed Barcelona in the quarter-final of the Champions League, though their 3-1 victory in the second leg in April was not enough to overcome their 4-0 first-leg defeat.

Dortmund have also kept most of their squad from the previous campaign intact, with Jamie Bynoe-Gittens the club's only major sale, but the winger only started three of the team's last 12 Bundesliga fixtures.

Kovac's side will face St Pauli on Saturday, and they will take on three of last season's bottom six in their opening three matches of the new Bundesliga campaign.

The fight for Europe in the Bundesliga in 2025-26

Seven teams from the Bundesliga qualified for Europe last term, with Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund qualifying for the Champions League, while Freiburg and Stuttgart made the Europa League.

The latter only qualified for the Europa League thanks to their DFB-Pokal triumph, but they have kept talented boss Sebastian Hoeness, and they will hope to improve upon their ninth-placed finish.

Mainz 05 enjoyed an exceptional campaign, finishing sixth with 52 points, qualifying for the Conference League, and they bettered their points tally and placement in 2023-24 by seven places and 17 points.

Leipzig had participated in a European competition in each of their prior eight campaigns, but their seventh-placed finish in the most recent season means their schedule will be considerably lighter this time around.

Ole Werner replaced previous Leipzig head coach Marco Rose, and after he guided Werder Bremen to their highest placement (eighth) in the past five campaigns, there are high hope for 2025-26.

If the winner of the 2025-26 DFB-Pokal also finishes in the top six, then only six teams will qualify for Europe next term.

Who could be relegated from the Bundesliga in 2025-26?

Heidenheim were fortunate to avoid relegation considering they only survived thanks to their victory against 2. Bundesliga side Elversberg in a playoff tie in May, winning 4-3 on aggregate.

FC Koln and Hamburger SV earned promotion to the top flight from the second tier, and though many will predict them to be relegated, both St Pauli and Holstein Kiel survived in 2024-25 despite it being their first seasons back in the Bundesliga.

Hoffenheim and St Pauli finished within three points of the league's 16th-placed relegation playoff spot, and they could be candidates for demotion next term.

Which notable signings have been made by Bundesliga clubs?

Bayern were in the market for an attacker, but while they had been pursuing Leverkusen's Wirtz, they ultimately landed on Liverpool winger Luis Diaz.

The Colombian was brought to the club for a fee in the region of £65m, and after excelling for the English team in their title-winning season of 2024-25, Kompany will hope the forward can produce similar numbers in Germany.

Jarell Quansah was signed by Bayer Leverkusen from Liverpool, and Ten Hag may have to rely on the centre-back if he is to challenge for the title, especially after losing Tah to the champions.

Dortmund may have lost Jude Bellingham to Real Madrid in the summer 2023, but they have added brother Jobe Bellingham to their squad this transfer window from Sunderland.

The Englishman is an energetic presence in midfield, and while it is unfair to expect him to reach the heights of Jude, the 19-year-old's talent is clear.

Who could finish as top scorer in the Bundesliga in 2025-26?

Harry Kane ended the 2024-25 Bundesliga season as top scorer, finding the back of the net 26 times for Bayern Munich.

The Englishman claimed top spot for a second consecutive campaign, though his tally was 10 fewer than he managed in 2023-24.

If Kane's return in front of goal diminishes, Patrik Schick and Serhou Guirassy will be ready to pounce in the race to be top scorer considering they finished joint second in the charts last season with 21 goals for Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund respectively.

Jonathan Burkardt netted 18 times for Mainz 05 last season, and the striker will be keen to be similarly productive for Eintracht Frankfurt in 2025-26.