Cottbus secure their place in the second division, while RWE must contest the relegation play-off

Claus-Dieter Wollitz

Energie Cottbus is back in the 2. Bundesliga for the first time in twelve years.

Claus-Dieter Wollitz's side sealed promotion on matchday 38, earning a 1–0 (1–0) victory at Jahn Regensburg.

Energie Cottbus were last relegated from the 2. Bundesliga in 2014, and between 2016 and 2018, as well as from 2019 to 2024, the club even competed in the fourth-tier Regionalliga.

In Regensburg, Jannis Boziaris put the Lausitzers on course for the second division with a spectacular 28th-minute strike from distance. Goalkeeper Marius Funk then preserved the lead by saving a stoppage-time penalty from Florian Dietz. VfL Osnabrück had already secured promotion before Cottbus.

Third Division: Cottbus secure second promotion spot

Rot-Weiss Essen clinched third place in the relegation play-offs, edging out MSV Duisburg, after a dramatic 3–2 (2–2) victory at already-relegated SSV Ulm. Ben Hüning's stoppage-time winner sets up a two-legged play-off against the third-bottom 2. Bundesliga side on 22 and 26 May.

The victory allowed Essen to leapfrog MSV Duisburg, who could only manage a 1-1 (0-0) draw with Viktoria Köln. League champions Osnabrück finished the campaign with a 4-3 (2-0) win at VfB Stuttgart II.