Unstoppable march to second successive double: FCB Women and their impressive cup campaign

It was all set on this Thursday afternoon at the RheinEnergieSTADION in Cologne. The final was sold out for the fourth year in a row, the stands bathed in red and green, the background noise a mix of party atmosphere and tension. FC Bayern Women had the double in their sights – after the Meisterschale, they wanted the Pokal. The opponents were none other than record cup winners VfL Wolfsburg. For the Munich girls, it was the chance to cap perhaps the best season in the club’s history: Supercup, Bundesliga, semi-finals of the Champions League – and now the crowning finale.

And they gave it their all, fighting, running, throwing themselves into every tackle as if there were no tomorrow. In the end, their relentless desire, courage and passion were thoroughly rewarded: With a fully deserved 4-0 win, FC Bayern Women secured the DFB Cup and completed the second double in the club's history. The joy knew no bounds as the cup was raised high amidst thunderous applause. fcbayern.com looks back over the 2025/26 cup season.

Convincing start in Dortmund

Two big names of German football met in the first round of the DFB Cup, as the women of Borussia Dortmund welcomed the defending double winners to the Stadion Rote Erde. Although this match-up in women’s football doesn’t carry the same weight as the men’s equivalent, the clash between the regional league outfit established in 2021 and the cup holders from the Bavarian capital still attracted an impressive crowd of 15,755.

They witnessed – despite the difference in leagues – a somewhat rocky but ultimately safe 2-0 victory for Bayern, with Pernille Harder’s first-half brace ensuring progression to the round of 16.

Two summer signings seal quarter-final berth

Four days after the 3-2 success over Champions League holders Arsenal, Bayern coach José Barcala rotated his team for the DFB Cup last 16, making six changes against Bundesliga 2 side FC Ingolstadt. Summer signing Barbara Dunst was handed her first start – and immediately repaid the faith. After a goalless but clearly dominant first half against the deep-lying hosts, the Austrian broke the deadlock in the 50th minute with her first goal in an FCB shirt.

That proved to be the breakthrough as just seven minutes later, Lea Schüller made it 2-0 with a header. Deep into stoppage time, another new signing had the final say with Natalia Padilla Bidas converting Giulia Gwinn’s cross. After comfortably navigating the opening rounds against lower-league opposition, a first meeting with Bundesliga rivals now awaited the holders in the quarter-finals.

Dominant display in the north

After an international break of around two weeks, Bayern Women were straight back into action with a knockout match on a big stage. Having knocked out favourites Bayer Leverkusen on penalties in the previous round, 12,638 fans flocked to Hamburg’s Volksparkstadion in the hope of another magical cup night. Even the heavy 6-0 defeat in the Bundesliga against the Munich side had apparently not dampened this optimism.

But after just six minutes, Edna Imade snuffed out all the Hanseatic dreams, taking advantage of some disorganisation in the Hamburg defence to make it 1-0. The visitors dominated proceedings after that and created several chances. Franziska Kett eventually made it 2-0, before Padilla Bidas again sealed it with her goal.

Following three convincing wins on the road, Barcala’s side were handed their first home draw of this season’s competition in the semi-finals.

Essen also swept aside

Following a run of 25 games unbeaten in all competitions and just five days on from the hard-fought battle with Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-finals at the Allianz Arena, Barcala and his charges faced a cup semi-final. SGS Essen, who beat last year’s runners-up SV Werder Bremen 1-0 in the quarter-finals, were the last hurdle on the way to a third consecutive final appearance for Bayern Women.

From the start at the FC Bayern Campus, the Munich girls left no doubt as to who would be leaving the pitch as winners on this afternoon. Arianna Caruso was the first to find the net on 22 minutes, but the goal was disallowed for offside. However, it was only another seven minutes until Momoko Tanikawa finished off a wonderful move to make it 1-0.

Tanikawa turned provider before the break, skilfully setting up Harder. Imade even extended the lead to 3-0 before the first half was up, all but settling the contest. The Spain international added another headed goal in the 73rd minute to seal the place in the final.

Crowning in Cologne

The stage was set for a final that lived up to its name in Cologne: champions Bayern against record cup winners Wolfsburg. The sold-out RheinEnergieSTADION was divided into red and green for a clash that brought into sharp focus the current state of German women’s football. For FCB, it was about more than just another trophy: after the Supercup, Bundesliga and the semi-finals of the Champions League, the cup was supposed to crown an already outstanding season. On the other side, Alexandra Popp, a defining figure of this era, was playing in her last major final in a VfL shirt. Bayern wanted another double and to enthrone the 11-time winners in their supposed favourite competition – and they did just that in impressive fashion on the pitch. From the first minute it was clear who wanted the cup more.

In the end, it was red-and-white delight as the Munich girls celebrated a fully deserved 4-0 victory. FC Bayern Women lifted the DFB Cup and completed the second double in the club’s history. Barcala’s side will look back on a 2025/26 season in which they made history and set new standards. And there’s already great anticipation among everyone for what’s to come in the new season.

The match report of the final against Wolfsburg:

The congratulations from the Bayern management on the double win: