Bundesliga new boys SC Paderborn 07 have just three weeks to wait before they visit FSV Mainz 05 on 29th August and then treat their fans a week later when they welcome SC Freiburg, who finished seventh last term.
It’s not the easiest of starts, but the German top-flight is exactly where Paderborn and its passionate following want to be, having had tastes of the elite game a couple of times over the past decade. After a few seasons treading water, the North Rhine club began to knock on the door, finishing fourth in 2025, just four points short of SV Hamburg, who finished second.
And last season they made it, finishing third and pulling off a huge shock by beating the powerhouses of VfL Wolfsburg in the play-off in a dramatic second leg. 07 trailed to an early Wolves goal, but then the referee sent off Wolfsburg’s Joakim Maehle with just 14 minutes on the clock. Paderborn dominated from there on, equalising through Filip Bilbija and then winning it with an extra-time volley delivered with style by centre back Laurin Curda.
The SBOTOP Bundesliga 2026 betting odds say 07 are the second favourites to make the drop again, with SV Elversberg, also newly promoted, the odds-on favourites to finish 18th. But the fans in the 15,000-capacity stadium will pack the Home Deluxe Arena to the rafters and do all they can to give their heroes the lift they need to survive or better.
And all respect to 39-year-old head coach Ralf Kettemann, who looked like a brave appointment when he replaced Lukas Kwasniok, who went to Cologne last summer. Kettemann came from Karlsruhe’s U19s team, having worked with TSG Hoffenheim II team, so his talent in working with young players and man-management skills made him a super appointment. And now he will need all his tactical nous to take on the big guns.
A lower-league midfielder as a player, Kettemann had a modest career, but his name is already up in lights as a manager, and the spotlight will shine even brighter this season. His team played bold attacking football to win promotion, but now he will need to be more pragmatic.
How Paderborn made it to the promised land
With a long history of being league minnows. Paderborn have been Bundesliga II regulars for almost two decades, and their older fans have enjoyed the best times of their football lives. Under longtime manager Steffen Baumgart, they were promoted to the top table in 2015 and 2020. But on both occasions, Paderborn were relegated in bottom place. Now, the aim is to buck that trend and become a 2027 surprise package.
Having narrowly missed out in 2025, under Kettemann, 07 were relentless in their push for promotion, winning eight matches in a row between September and November to establish themselves in the top two.
They faded a little in the winter before putting together a long unbeaten run in the spring, which helped them to stay around the top three. Although they stuttered in the run-in, a last-day victory teed up the play-off against Wolfsburg, and Kettemann’s men did the business again.
Key players
21-year-old defensive midfielder Santiago Castaneda had a superb campaign, and he is on the radar of the USA national team, already picking up a U23 cap with the Stars and Stripes. Alongside Castaneda, Mika Baur is a hot midfield prospect. The 22-year-old playmaker has represented Germany at U18 to U21 levels, and he will relish the chance to pit his skills against the best midfield operators in the land.
VfB Stuttgart loanee Dennis Seimen kept nine clean sheets to help Paderborn to promotion, but he has, for now, returned to his parent club, and 07 have moved to bring in new blood to bolster Kettemann’s hand. 23-year-old goalkeeper Nahuel Noll has arrived on loan from TSG Hoffenheim, and right-back Jano ter Horst will strengthen the backline.
Meanwhile, winger Oliver Batista Meier will join the creative unit and another Hoffenheim product, Luka Duric, will slot in as a creative midfielder. Now 23, he scored 26 times in 88 games for Hoffenheim II.
Captained by 28-year-old centre-back Felix Goetze, this is not a team of household names just yet. Goetze has been part of the club’s exciting journey over the past couple of seasons, and he instils the winning mentality into his team-mates.
Can Paderborn 07 be this year’s surprise package? Well, it’s all about momentum, and if Kettemann’s boys can pick up some early Bundesliga 2026 results, then who knows, but it will be one heck of a ride.
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