Hamburger SV kicks off the new Bundesliga season on Saturday with an away match at Borussia Dortmund. The game at Signal Iduna Park starts at 12:30 PM and will be broadcast live on TV and via stream in the United States, as reported by Goal.com.
Merlin Polzin's team faces a BVB side that lost 1-2 to Bayern Munich in the Supercup last weekend. For Hamburger SV, this marks their first Bundesliga appearance since finishing 13th in the final 2025 table, where the team had 31 points from 29 games (7 wins, 10 draws, 12 losses) and a goal difference of -13 (32 scored, 45 conceded). The next challenge awaits on September 6 with a home game against FSV Mainz 05, who finished ninth last season.
How to watch the match live
Fans in the United States can follow the encounter live on USA Network. Spanish-language coverage is on Telemundo, with commentary by Luis Omar Tapia and Diego Balado, hosted by Carlota Vizmanos and Adriana Monsalve. Streaming options include Fubo, Peacock, DirecTV Stream, and Sling TV. This is the first top-flight meeting between the clubs at Signal Iduna Park since March 21, 2026, when Dortmund won 3-2.
What form are the teams in?
Borussia Dortmund enters the season with mixed pre-season results. In their last five friendly matches, they managed only one win against FC Tokyo, a 2-2 draw with Roma, a 2-3 loss to Arsenal, and the recent Supercup defeat. Overall, BVB conceded eight goals in these games. Manager Niko Kovac is also under fire. Veteran coach Ewald Lienen publicly criticized Kovac's handling of the team.
Hamburger SV, in contrast, approaches the match with more momentum. In their last five pre-season fixtures, they recorded three wins, one draw, and only one defeat. The emphatic 3-0 victory at SC Verl in the DFB-Pokal on August 24 was particularly encouraging. In total, Merlin Polzin's side scored nine goals across these matches. The full schedule of upcoming fixtures is available on our fixtures page.
Are there any transfer rumors involving players?
Both clubs are also dealing with transfer speculation just before the season starts. At Borussia Dortmund, Portuguese forward Fabio Silva could leave the club before the transfer window closes. He is reportedly attracting interest from Spain and the Netherlands. Backup option is Serhou Guirassy.
At Hamburger SV, the club rejected an initial offer from FC Barcelona for defensive talent Mikael Baza. The 16-year-old cousin of Bayern Munich's Jonathan Tah is said to have been deemed an insufficient bid. The defensive line and all other squad details can be viewed in our squad section.
What does the opener mean for the season?
The season start against a top contender like Dortmund is an immediate test for Hamburger SV. The team must prove it can translate its positive pre-season form into the Bundesliga. Having finished 45 points behind record champions Bayern Munich last season, it's clear every point in the upper half of the table will be hard-fought. The current standings show the complete table from the previous campaign. A good result in Dortmund would send an important signal for the challenges ahead, first and foremost the home game against Mainz.
