3. Liga: Energie Cottbus follow Osnabrück to 2. Bundesliga, RW Essen enter playoff

The 2025/26 3. Liga season concluded on Saturday afternoon.

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FC Energie Cottbus are promoted to 2. Bundesliga after finishing second in 3. Liga. Energie played six seasons in Bundesliga in the first decade of the millennium, but they had to rebuild again after dropping down to Regionalliga.

It’ll be a first 2. Bundesliga appearance for the club from the eastern side of Germany since the 2013/14 campaign. Claus-Dieter Wollitz’s side narrowly missed out on a promotion last term, but they have now finished second in the 20-team league.

Jannis Boziaris’ early goal sealed their victory in Regensburg as they finished two points above Rot-Weiss Essen. There was late drama in the race to finish in the playoff spot. Essen snatched the spot in injury-time away at already-relegated Ulm.

Former Duisburg youth player Ben Huning scored the all-important goal as Uwe Koschinat’s men now await the identity of their playoff opponents. Duisburg could have finished third had they won their home game against Viktoria Köln (1-1).

Champions Osnabrück finished the campaign with 80 points after a rollercoaster 4-3 victory over Stuttgart II. Essen’s playoff tie will be played over two legs against the team finishing 16th in 2. Bundesliga.