What happened: The Bundesliga has confirmed the matchdays for the 2026-27 Revierderby between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04, the first meetings since Schalke's relegation took the fixture off the calendar for three seasons. The first leg, the 103rd league meeting between the clubs, is set for matchday 12 on the December 4-6, 2026 weekend. The reverse fixture lands on matchday 29, between April 9 and 11, 2027.

Why it matters: The Revierderby is one of German football's biggest rivalries, and its absence over the past three years left a hole in the league calendar. Dortmund enter as the higher-pedigree side after finishing runner-up, while a newly promoted Schalke under Miron Muslic will lean on the intensity of the fixture to close the gap. The April return leg, deep in the run-in, could carry real weight for both clubs' season objectives.

What to watch: Both clubs now build their summer squads ahead of a 2026-27 campaign that restores two derby dates. The December meeting will be the first competitive clash between them in three years.