A place in the DFB-Pokal third round will be the prize for the winner of Wednesday's all-2.Bundesliga tie between Hannover 96 and Kaiserslautern at the Heinz-von-Heiden-Arena. 

Hannover are winless in three matches, while the visitors have gone four consecutive games without defeat. 

Match preview

Hannover started the 2026-27 campaign with a mammoth 9-1 win over fifth-tier SV Hemelingen in the DFB-Pokal first round.

However, Sandro Wagner's side have struggled to enjoy success in the opening few months of the 2.Bundesliga season, having mustered just two wins in their nine league games (D2, L5).

Their most recent victory took place against Bochum before the international window, before they returned from the break with a heavy 3-0 defeat away to Magdeburg and a 1-1 draw against St. Pauli. 

Hannover then fell to a third consecutive away defeat in Sunday's derby against Eintracht Braunschweig, with the 2-0 loss leaving them in the bottom three on goal difference.

Die Roten will now return to the Heinz-von-Heiden-Arena, where they have avoided defeat in each of their last four matches since losing to Wolfsburg in August (W2, D2).

Their home supporters will be looking to push the team on to their first third-round appearance since reaching the DFB-Pokal quarter-finals in the 2021-22 campaign. 

In contrast to their hosts, Kaiserslautern are operating towards the top end of the 2.Bundesliga after winning five, drawing three and losing one of their nine matches.

While they may be the league's fourth-highest scorers with nine goals, Kaiserslautern's success in the first months has been built on a strong defence that has conceded just four goals in the second tier this term.

In fact, they have recorded clean sheets in each of their last four league outings, including Saturday's 1-0 away win against promotion rivals Nurnberg.

Erencan Yardimci's third league goal proved enough to fire Kaiserslautern to a second straight win, leaving them in third place and behind second-placed Nurnberg on goal difference. 

Kaiserslautern will now put their promotion bid on hold to focus on Wednesday's DFB-Pokal tie, with the visitors dreaming of producing a repeat of their run to the final in 2023-24.

Die Roten Teufel recorded a 3-1 home victory in their most recent encounter against Hannover, although they have failed to win their last three away meetings (D1, L2). 

Hannover DFB-Pokal form:

Hannover form (all competitions):

Kaiserslautern DFB-Pokal form:

Kaiserslautern form (all competitions):

Team News

Hannover expected to be without Lars Gindorf, Karl Steinmann, Benedikt Pichler and Joschua Siewert.

Mustapha Bundu is back in team training, but it is unclear whether he is fit to make his return from a six-match injury absence. 

Ime Okon, Franz Roggow and Hayate Matsuda if Wagner decides to freshen up his lineup for Wednesday’s cup tie.

As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon defender Kelven Frees, who has missed the last three games with a hamstring problem.

Yardimci is unlikely to feature after his goalscoring substitute appearance against Nurnberg was cut short due to injury.

Fabian Kunze, Marlon Ritter, Thierry Tazmeta and Mergim Berisha are all pushing for starting berths, with Lieberknecht likely to bring fresh legs into the side for the midweek fixture.

Hannover possible starting lineup:

Weinkauf; Ghita, Tomiak, Okon, Neubauer; Chakroun, Roggow, Thordarson, Matsuda; Kallman, Hartel

Kaiserslautern possible starting lineup:

Krahl; Elvedi, Gyamfi, Murphy; Joly, Sahin, Kunze, Haas; Tazmeta,  Ritter; Berisha

We say: Hannover 0-2 Kaiserslautern

Kaiserslautern will be full of confidence after winning three of their last four league games, and we think their resolute backline will provide the foundation for another victory in Wednesday's DFB-Pokal tie. 

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.