2020–21 DFB-Pokal
The 2020–21 DFB-Pokal was the 78th season of the annual German football cup competition. Sixty-four teams participated in the competition, including all teams from the previous year's Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga. The competition began on 11 September 2020 with the first of six rounds and ended on 13 May 2021 with the final at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, a nominally neutral venue, which has hosted the final since 1985. The competition was originally scheduled to begin on 14 August 2020 and conclude on 22 May 2021, though this was delayed due to postponement of the previous season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The DFB-Pokal is considered the second-most important club title in German football after the Bundesliga championship. The DFB-Pokal is run by the German Football Association (DFB).
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | Germany |
| Venue(s) | Olympiastadion, Berlin |
| Dates | 11 September 2020 – 13 May 2021 |
| Teams | 64 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Borussia Dortmund (5th title) |
| Runner-up | RB Leipzig |
| Europa League | Bayer Leverkusen |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 63 |
| Goals scored | 230 (3.65 per match) |
| Attendance | 33,841 (537 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) | Jadon Sancho (6 goals) |
Bundesliga side Bayern Munich were the two-time defending champions, having defeated Bayer Leverkusen 4–2 in the previous final to clinch a record 20th title. However, Bayern were knocked out of the competition in the second round by second-division side Holstein Kiel, losing on penalties following a 2–2 draw after extra time.
Borussia Dortmund won the final 4–1 against RB Leipzig for their fifth title. As winners, Dortmund featured in the 2021 edition of the DFL-Supercup at the start of the next season, and faced the champions of the 2020–21 Bundesliga, Bayern Munich. The winners of the DFB-Pokal also earned automatic qualification for the group stage of the 2021–22 edition of the UEFA Europa League. However, as Dortmund already qualified for the 2021–22 edition of the UEFA Champions League through their position in the Bundesliga, the spot went to the team in sixth place, and the league's UEFA Europa Conference League play-off round spot went to the team in seventh place.