Every weekend, the derby matches were conducted in the football tournaments. The domestic competition has numerous rumors and consistent performances from competing teams. This time, the Rhine Derby 2026 is set to be one of the redefining fixtures of the Bundesliga season. The battle between 1. FC Köln and Borussia Mönchengladbach for the Rhine Derby match, which is a crucial clash. The match will take place on 21 March 2026 at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne.
Borussia Mönchengladbach is currently sitting in the lower half of the Bundesliga standings. Meanwhile, 1. FC Köln is now sitting above the relegation zone in the league table. The location of this derby is under pressure due to the tension between these two teams in football history. Over the decades, both teams have produced many dramatic moments in the Bundesliga.
Backstory of the Rhine Derby
In the Rhineland region, the Rhine Derby developed as one of the notable football rivalries along the Rhine River. Initially, the term referred to matches involving Fortuna Düsseldorf and Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Although Borussia Monchengladbach is not on the Rhine, the term “Rhine derby” is now commonly used for matches between Cologne and Monchengladbach. The match is also known as the Weisweiler derby, named after former coach Hennes Weisweiler.
The first meeting game was between FC Köln and Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Oberliga West. Over the years, Borussia Mönchengladbach has played many matches and gained extensive experience. FC Cologne and Borussia Mönchengladbach also met twice in the UEFA Cup. Both teams will head into the upcoming fixtures aiming to add another remarkable moment to their head-to-head records.
Origin of FC Cologne
1. FC Köln was founded in 1948 after the merger of Kölner BC 01 and SpVgg Sülz 07. Later, Köln became a rising club with a rich footballing culture. This team, also known as “Die Geißböcke” (The Billy Goats), adopted its famous goat mascot, Hennes, in 1953. The club wears red and white, colors that represent the traditions and culture of Cologne. Initially, the team played its home games at Müngersdorfer Stadion before moving to RheinEnergieStadion.
However, Köln has three German championship victories and four DFB-Pokal titles between 1960 and 1980. Over the years, this team has attracted a large fan base through its strong home performances. Today, Cologne’s story tells about their resilience and potential determination rooted in their German football.
From Borussia Mönchengladbach
The history of Mönchengladbach dates back to 1900, when it was founded as FK Borussia 1900. Over time, it evolved into VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach, with the name “Borussia” highlighting the club’s regional identity. Beginning as a local team, Gladbach rose to fame in West German football during its golden era in the 1970s.
Borussia Mönchengladbach, based in North Rhine-Westphalia, is part of the intense Rhine-Ruhr football clash. Followed by many more rivalries like the Rhine Derby, with Cologne having face-to-face records, which have a crucial impact. Borussia Mönchengladbach will be ready to attack against Köln, reflecting its status as a Bundesliga powerhouse.
Event Details for Rhine Derby
Main Event: Köln vs. Mönchengladbach
Date: March 21, 2026 (Saturday)
Time: 10:30 AM ET | 07:30 AM PT | 08:00 PM IST
Venue: RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne.
Where can I watch the Köln vs. Mönchengladbach Rhine Derby stream?
The Rhine Derby match will be aired on Sky Sports and NOW TV Sports Pass for UK fans. You can access the Sky Go app for subscribers, which provides full coverage.
Don’t miss out on the tussle between Köln and Mönchengladbach, which will be broadcast on Movistar Plus+ in Spain. You can watch the games live through Movistar+ TV channels or a streaming app.
Watch the Bundesliga match, which will stream on WOW, Sky Deutschland, and DAZN for German followers. Also, available via Sky TV channels or the streaming service WOW.
The Rhine Derby will be broadcast on the beIN Sports TV channel and the myCANAL network in France.
Get ready, as these Bundesliga matches will stream on Star Times for South African viewers. In addition, pay-TV platforms carry Bundesliga matches, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In India, the Rhine Derby will air on the Sony Sports Network, which broadcasts Bundesliga matches. The Bundesliga games are regularly on Sony Sports Ten channels.
The Bundesliga matches will be live-streamed on Tencent Video and Tencent Sports in China. Some additional channels include CCTV Sports and Migu Video (China Mobile Migu).
Fans have a good experience with the ESPN+ streaming service for these Bundesliga matches in the U.S. Some Bundesliga fixtures are occasionally aired on ESPN Deportes or ABC.
Head-to-Head Records
| Period / Years | Köln Wins | Mönchengladbach Wins | Draws |
| 1950–1959 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| 1960–1969 | 10 | 9 | 6 |
| 1970–1979 | 6 | 12 | 4 |
| 1980–1989 | 5 | 7 | 5 |
| 1990–1999 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| 2000–2009 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| 2010–2019 | 4 | 7 | 3 |
| 2020–2025 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
Summary
| Team | Total Wins |
| Borussia Mönchengladbach | 61 |
| 1. FC Köln | 44 |
| Draws | 27 |
Köln: Domestic and International Titles
| Year | Competition | Category | Achievement |
| 1962 | German Championship | Domestic | Champions |
| 1964 | Bundesliga | Domestic | Champions |
| 1968 | DFB-Pokal | Domestic | Winners |
| 1977 | DFB-Pokal | Domestic | Winners |
| 1978 | Bundesliga | Domestic | Champions |
| 1978 | DFB-Pokal | Domestic | Winners |
| 1979 | European Cup | International | Semi-finalists |
| 1983 | DFB-Pokal | Domestic | Winners |
| 1986 | UEFA Cup | International | Runners-up |
Monchengladbach: Domestic and International Titles
| Year | Competition | Category | Achievement |
| 1960 | DFB-Pokal | Domestic | Winners |
| 1970 | Bundesliga | Domestic | Champions |
| 1971 | Bundesliga | Domestic | Champions |
| 1973 | DFB-Pokal | Domestic | Winners |
| 1975 | Bundesliga | Domestic | Champions |
| 1975 | UEFA Cup | International | Winners |
| 1976 | Bundesliga | Domestic | Champions |
| 1977 | Bundesliga | Domestic | Champions |
| 1979 | UEFA Cup | International | Winners |
| 1977 | European Cup | International | Runners-up |
| 1995 | DFB-Pokal | Domestic | Winners |
Predicted Lineups for 1. FC Koln
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Marvin Schwäbe |
| Backs | Rav van den Berg, Cenk Özkacar, and Kristoffer Lund Hansen |
| Midfielders | Tom Krauß, Ísak Bergmann Jóhannesson, Eric Martel, Linton Maina, and Jakub Kaminski |
| Winger | Saïd El Mala |
| Striker | Ragnar Ache |
Predicted Lineups for Borussia Monchengladbach
| Position | Players |
| Goalkeeper | Moritz Nicolas |
| Backs | Kevin Diks, Nico Elvedi, Philipp Sander, and Joseph Scally |
| Midfielders | Jens Castrop, Yannik Engelhardt, Rocco Reitz, and Hugo Bolin |
| Wingers | Franck Honorat |
| Striker | Haris Tabakovic |
Injury and Suspension Updates
1. FC Köln and Borussia Mönchengladbach are facing key injuries ahead of the Rhine Derby.
FC Cologne: Timo Hübers (knee), Luca Kilian (cruciate ligament), Sebastian Sebulonsen (suspension), Jahmai Simpson-Pusey (suspension), and Joël Schmied (muscle injury). Some other players are Denis Huseinbasic (hip), Alessio Castro-Montes (muscle injury), and Jan Theilmann (muscle injury).
Borussia Monchengladbach: Kota Takai (strain or undisclosed), Tim Kleindienst (knee), Marvin Friedrich (muscle injury), Nathan N’Goumou (Achilles), and Robin Hack (knee).
Past Games
FC Köln faced Wolfsburg in their most recent game. In the first half, Linton Maina scored the only goal for Köln. On the other hand, Wolfsburg failed to score for the full minutes. In the end, Köln defeated Wolfsburg 1-0 in the Bundesliga match. They are currently in 14th place in the Bundesliga standings with 25 points. In their last five games, they have registered two consecutive draws and three defeats. This team has been hard-impacted defensively, missing central defenders and facing suspension woes. The Koln has a home-field advantage to hold a victory heading into an upcoming fixture.
Borussia Mönchengladbach faced FC Bayern Munich in their latest match. Luis Díaz, Konrad Laimer, Jamal Musiala, and Nicolas Jackson scored the goals for Bayern. Meanwhile, Rocco Reitz received a red card for Borussia Mönchengladbach during the game. They are now in 12th place in the Bundesliga standings with 28 points. In their last five games, Monchengladbach have recorded two straight wins and three losses. After 26 fixtures, Borussia Mönchengladbach has scored seven wins, seven draws, and 12 losses. Gladbach’s attack has struggled to maintain consistency throughout the season. The team has several injuries affecting both the defense and attack ahead of the Rhine Derby game.
The Pick: FC Köln
Final Thoughts
The Rhine Derby is one of the Bundesliga 2025-26 games, and the league will soon reach the end of the season. This derby featuring FC Köln and Borussia Mönchengladbach will take place on March 21, 2026. Which team will emerge triumphant and gain its team’s reputation?
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