Bayern go into opener with this record run

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FC Bayern München

·26 August 2026

Bayern go into opener with this record run

The previous Bundesliga campaign was a wire-to-wire win for FC Bayern. With a 6-0 thrashing of RB Leipzig, the holders went straight to the top of the table – and stayed there until the end. In fact, the German record champions have now held top spot for 66 consecutive matchdays, long since establishing a new Bundesliga record. Nevertheless, the cards have now been reshuffled and a new race for first place begins again for Vincent Kompany’s side with the opening match against VfB Stuttgart on Friday evening.

Bayern have consistently proven in recent times that they know how to get off to a good start. The Munich men have not lost their opening league game since a 1-0 loss to Borussia Mönchengladbach in August 2011 – a current record in the German top flight. In general, the defending Bundesliga champions haven’t been beaten on Matchday 1 for a quarter of a century (W19, D5), although Bayern were the last holders to suffer an opening defeat in late July 2001 (1-0 at Gladbach).

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It’s a somewhat different story for the visitors from Stuttgart. VfB are the only Bundesliga side who did not collect any points on Matchday 1 in both of the last two campaigns – losing 3-1 at Freiburg in 2024 and 2-1 at Union Berlin 2025.

More facts on opening match

88 wins – In 132 competitive encounters with Stuttgart since the Bundesliga was formed, FCB have come out on top 88 times (D22, L22). No other team have celebrated as many wins against one opponent in German professional football in that period.
51 goal difference – VfB boasted the second-best attack in the Bundesliga last season with 71 goals scored. However, that’s still 51 fewer than Bayern, who set new standards with 122 goals.
21 seasons – Manuel Neuer is set to feature in his 21st successive Bundesliga campaign – a new record. Only Klaus Fichtel has played in more seasons in the German top flight (22), but that was with a one-year interruption in the second tier with Bremen (1980/81).
14 goals – VfB are truly Harry Kane’s favourite opponents in Germany, as he’s scored more goals against the Swabians (14) than against any other team in this country.
98 Bundesliga goals – Talking of Kane, he’s currently on 98 goals in 94 Bundesliga games. The record for the fewest appearances to reach 100 Bundesliga goals is held by Köln legend Dieter Müller (129).
29 points recovered – Kompany’s men gained 29 points from losing positions in the Bundesliga last season, equalling Bayer 04 Leverkusen’s record from the 1999/2000 campaign. Stuttgart were second in this category with 20 points recovered, together with SC Freiburg.