Union Berlin vs. Borussia Dortmund: Kickoff, Team News and Live Coverage

Updated October 16, 2026: 1. FC Union Berlin is scheduled to host Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, October 17, in Bundesliga Matchday 6. The confirmed kickoff is 3:30 p.m. in Berlin—Central European Summer Time (CEST, UTC+02:00)—which is 13:30 UTC. Union’s latest match preview and Dortmund’s squad update confirm the venue and provide the latest reported absences. The match has not started, so there is no result or confirmed starting XI yet.

Union Berlin vs. Borussia Dortmund: official fixture details

The DFB match record, the Bundesliga fixture service, the league’s Matchday 6 page, and Union’s match center all identify Union as the home team. The DFB record and club match page list Stadion An der Alten Försterei in Berlin. These official pages are the best places to check for a late schedule change or the final match status.

Why the Berlin kickoff is CEST, not CET

Berlin will be on daylight saving time when this match begins. The listed local time is therefore 3:30 p.m. CEST (UTC+02:00), not 3:30 p.m. CET (UTC+01:00). The Bundesliga’s fixture service separately lists the kickoff as 13:30 UTC, matching the two-hour difference. Under the European Union’s summer-time schedule, the seasonal period ends on the last Sunday in October; in 2026 that is October 25, eight days after this fixture. For an international calendar entry, use the UTC time or select the Europe/Berlin time zone so the clock conversion follows the event date.

The official EU summer-time directive sets the end of the summer-time period on the last Sunday of October. The league fixture listing shows 13:30 UTC, while Union and Dortmund list 15:30 for the Berlin kickoff; together those listings establish the CEST offset for October 17.

Team news: confirmed absences before kickoff

Union Berlin

In its October 16 preview, Union says the coaching staff will be without Stanley Nsoki, Josip Juranović, and Andrej Ilić against Dortmund. The club’s published preview does not give a reason for each absence, so the names should be treated as confirmed unavailable players without assigning an injury diagnosis or suspension that the club has not stated. Union head coach Mauro Lustrinelli said the team had enjoyed its training week and emphasized continuity, energy, and producing a strong performance against a difficult opponent.

Borussia Dortmund

Dortmund head coach Niko Kovač said on Friday that the squad was in good health and that Nico Schlotterbeck was returning. The club’s October 16 personnel update identifies three long-term absences: Emre Can and Giannis Konstantelias after ACL injuries, and Justin Lerma with a muscle injury. Dortmund says its other first-team players are available for the trip to Berlin. Availability does not confirm who will start: Kovač also said the staff would assess recovery and freshness after the midweek European match before selecting the team.

The official previews reviewed for this update do not identify a player as suspended. Final team sheets are still pending, and a coach’s availability update is not a starting lineup. Check the league or club match center close to kickoff for the confirmed starters and substitutes. The Union match preview and Dortmund’s squad update (in German) are the sources for the club-reported personnel status.

Recent form and the matchup context

Dortmund arrives with 13 points from its first five Bundesliga matches: four wins and one draw, according to Union’s current preview. The team’s most recent league outing was a 2-2 draw with Werder Bremen after Dortmund had led 2-0. It then lost 1-0 away to FK Bodø/Glimt in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, October 14. The two results make recovery and selection relevant talking points, but they do not establish that any particular player will be rested or that Dortmund will carry its European performance into this league match.

Union’s latest league result was a 1-0 win over SV Elversberg, its first Bundesliga victory of the season. The club’s preview places Union 16th with four points after five matches. That win gives the home side a recent positive result to build on, while Dortmund’s league record makes the visitors a demanding opponent. Neither fact determines the outcome. Union’s coach has stressed the need to bring continuity and energy to the pitch; Kovač has warned his players to expect a physically intense game and highlighted Union’s threat from set pieces. Those are the themes the clubs themselves have identified, rather than a prediction about the score.

The clubs’ current head-to-head summary says this is their 16th competitive meeting: Union has four wins and Dortmund 12, with no draws recorded. Union also notes that all four of its victories came at home. That history adds context to the setting at the Alte Försterei, but previous results cannot confirm what will happen on Saturday.

Referee, live coverage, and stadium information

The DFB’s match record currently names Daniel Schlager as referee, with Tobias Fritsch and Patrick Kessel as assistant referees. It also lists Konrad Oldhafer as the fourth official and Nicolas Winter with Markus Sinn on video-assistant duties. Referee appointments and match information should be checked again on the official record if they change before kickoff.

Union says the game is sold out in both home and away sections and that the stadium opens two hours before kickoff. Its match preview reports transport and access disruptions near the ground: the Hämmerlingstraße underpass and Waldweg are closed, the pedestrian route to the stadium runs beside the sports hall, and there is no parking available in the immediate stadium area. Anyone attending should review Union’s latest service information before traveling.

For viewers in Germany, Union lists Sky and DAZN as live broadcasters, with audio coverage from rbb24 Inforadio and rbb24. Those rights apply to Germany; broadcast availability elsewhere depends on the viewer’s country. Union will also provide a live ticker and says an English-language match report will follow after the final whistle. The Bundesliga live page and the club match centers are the official sources to follow for lineups, live updates, and the final score.

Latest verified status, October 16, 2026: Union Berlin vs. Borussia Dortmund remains scheduled for Saturday, October 17, at Stadion An der Alten Försterei. Kickoff is 3:30 p.m. Berlin CEST (UTC+02:00), or 13:30 UTC. Union’s three reported absences and Dortmund’s three long-term injuries are confirmed in club updates; Schlotterbeck is reported back in contention. Starting lineups and the result remain unconfirmed until matchday.