RB Leipzig travel to face Rot-Weiss Essen on Tuesday 27 October 2026. DFB-Pokal action gets under way at 6:00 pm CET. The match is at Stadion an der Hafenstraße, Essen. That is 5:00 pm in London, 1:00 pm in New York and 10:00 am in Los Angeles.
The DFB-Pokal is Germany's national knockout football cup, entered by Bundesliga clubs along with lower-division and amateur teams. Every round is a single match, with extra time and penalties if needed, and the final is held in Berlin. Lower-league sides get home advantage in early rounds, and cup upsets are common enough to demand caution when backing favourites.
Football rewards defensive structure and the handful of moments that break it, so low scoring makes small edges decisive. Home advantage, rest between fixtures and squad rotation during congested runs often matter more than raw quality on paper. Weather and pitch condition can flatten a passing side and push a match towards set pieces. Interest usually sits on goal totals, both teams to score, Asian handicaps and the draw, which stays unusually live here.
Add the event to your calendar to keep the start time as the schedule is confirmed. Kick-off times are checked against the official schedule every week, so this page follows any change.