Updated Saturday, September 5, 2026.
One of German football’s oldest rivalries is back on the Bundesliga calendar. Schalke, back in the top flight after winning the second division, hosts Bayern Munich on Saturday for the first time in three years. Bayern has won five straight to open the season and has not lost to Schalke since 2011. The Royal Blues are coming off a rough return to the Bundesliga and are missing half their midfield.
Here is everything you need to watch it.
| Matchup | Schalke 04 (0 wins, 1 loss) vs. Bayern Munich (1 win, 0 losses) |
| Date | Saturday, September 5, 2026 |
| Kickoff | 12:30 p.m. ET (6:30 p.m. in Germany) |
| Venue | Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen |
| US TV | USA Network (English) |
| Streaming | Fandango (English), Peacock (Spanish), plus any live TV service carrying USA Network |
| UK TV | Sky Sports Football |
Kickoff by time zone
| Eastern | Central | Mountain | Arizona | Pacific |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:30 p.m. | 11:30 a.m. | 10:30 a.m. | 9:30 a.m. | 9:30 a.m. |
What to Watch For
Bayern has looked like a team already in midseason form under Vincent Kompany: a 2 to 1 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Supercup, a 5 to 1 rout of Stuttgart in the Bundesliga opener, and a 4 to 1 cup win at Osnabruck in midweek. Harry Kane and Michael Olise lead an attack that has scored 11 goals in three competitive matches. The Champions League opener is next week, so Kompany may rotate, but Bayern has won 12 straight against Schalke and has not lost this fixture since the 2010 to 2011 season.
Schalke won the 2. Bundesliga to earn its way back, beat Hallescher 5 to 2 in the cup, then lost 3 to 0 at Augsburg in its first Bundesliga match back and had Ron Schallenberg sent off. Schallenberg is suspended, captain Kenan Karaman is a doubt with a hip problem, and Adrian Gantenbein, Ayman Gulasi and Bryan Lasme are all out, so manager Miron Muslic is patching together a midfield. Deadline day signing Hwang Hee Chan could be thrown in early. Moussa Sylla is expected to lead the line.
The Veltins Arena will be full and loud, which is the one thing Schalke has going for it. Everything else, from form to depth to history, points toward Bayern.
The Bottom Line
Schalke vs. Bayern Munich kicks off at 12:30 p.m. ET Saturday from Gelsenkirchen on USA Network, streaming on Fandango. Bayern is unbeaten, scoring freely and has owned this fixture for 15 years. Schalke is short handed and coming off a 3 to 0 loss. The occasion is the draw here more than the matchup, but it is the first time these two have met in the Bundesliga since 2023 and the atmosphere will be worth the tune in.