1.FC Koln 2026/27 season preview: Transfers, pre-season, predicted lineup and predictions

A full preview of 1.FC Köln’s 2026/27 season — including summer transfers, pre-season results, predicted starting XI and expectations for the upcoming campaign.

Photo: Christof Koepsel/Getty Images.

In their first season back in the Bundesliga after a one-year hiatus, 1.FC Koln crucially managed to stay in the German topflight. However, the club from the Cathedral City had their fair share of rocky moments which initially started out strong under new coach Lukas Kwasniok – arriving after earning his stripes at SC Paderborn. 

A pair of wins and a draw in their opening three fixtures looked to set the bedrock for a fine campaign. Instead, the rot began barring the occasional victory amid a sea of defeats and stalemates right up until mid-March. With the relegation zone in their rear-view mirror, a hectic 3-3 with Rhineland rivals Gladbach ended Kwasniok’s reign.

Resorting to basics in a 4-4-2 under the club’s former assistant coach Rene Wagner, Koln managed to avoid the drop. A big win over Werder Bremen coupled with a few draws helped them keep their safety net. Fellow relegation candidates also slipped up which made their life that bit easier despite ending the season with two heavy defeats. 

Pre-Season preparations

Effzeh made their official return to the training ground on 13 July, building up fitness as Wagner put them through their paces. Their only game before departing for a training camp came against fifth-tier Oberliga side Bergisch Gladbach. A game which caused no surprises as it ended 8-0 to the Bundesliga outfit. 

Thereafter, the Billy Goats swiftly travelled to Kitzbühel, Austria for their main training camp from 24 to 31 July. Preparations ramped up with a test against Hertha BSC, in which Ache and Buelter scored in a 2-2 draw. Upon returning to the RhineEnergie Stadion, they notched an impressive 2-1 triumph over a strong Real Sociedad side. 

Two back-to-back defeats to Paderborn (3-2 and 4-3) revealed a bit more but also threw up some headaches. A 14-minute second-half collapse in the first game followed by the reserve team also throwing away an early lead in the second match only highlights some mild concerns regarding their defensive susceptibility. 

Transfers

One notable departure this summer was the €17m exit of Jakub Kaminski to Benfica. The Polish winger’s absence leaves a bit of a detach between midfield and attack, but some high-potential replacements have been sources. Meanwhile, Eric Martel (Mainz) and Denis Huseinbasic (Braga) left for free, while club icon Florian Kainz retired. 

It’s been a busy summer of squad planning from Thomas Kessler, who has crucially kept talisman Said El Mala by extending his contract despite Dortmund’s best efforts. Man City U-21 duo Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Reigan Heskey – signed for a combined €8m ­­– look to have the highest ceiling and could be two breakout stars. 

Centre-half Luka Lochoshvili (€4.9m from Nürnberg) bolsters the defence alongside free transfer and Ghana’s World Cup full-back Gideon Mensah. Tom Krauss has been made a permanent fixture for €3.5million, Paul Okon-Engstler could also battle for a midfield berth, while loanee striker Thijs Dallinga offers something different to Ache’s game.

Predicted starting lineup

Koln under Wager will likely line out in either a flat 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 with Schwäbe between the sticks. Castro-Montes has impressed in pre-season and seems set to pair with Simpson-Pusey alongside the incoming Lochoshvili and Mensah. If fit, Johannesson or the in-form Okon-Engstler will pair with Tom Krauss in the engine room. 

Versatility is Effzeh’s main strength in attack, so the speed of Maina and El Mala ought to flank Thielmann who has been trialled as an attacking midfielder this summer. However, the likes of Buelter or Waldschmidt will also have an eye on that position. Up top, Ragnar Ache seems a shoo-in at least until Dallinga can change Wagner’s thinking. 

Predicted lineup (4-2-3-1): Schwäbe – Castro-Montes, Simpson-Pusey, Lochoshvili, Mensah – Johannesson, Krauss – Maina, Thielmann, El Mala – Ache

Predictions for the upcoming season

Having lost Kaminski but crucially retaining El Mala (at least for now) Koln will be heavily reliant on the 19-year-old who had a hand in over 32% of their goals last season. Integrating young talents like Heskey or Okon-Engstler could also prove critical to keeping the squad fresh and throwing opponents a curveball. 

Surviving the drop in 2025-26 should only boost their confidence and put a fixation on solidifying that Bundesliga status. Provided a few tactical errors are straightened out by Wagner, a projected 12th- to 15th-place should be doable. But a 16th-spot relegation play-off is imaginable if consistency truly deserts them like it did under Kwasniok.