FC St. Pauli is aiming for its first league win of the season when it hosts 1. FC Kaiserslautern at the Millerntor-Stadion on Sunday, 30 August 2026. Both teams are winless after two matchdays, with St. Pauli sitting 14th and Kaiserslautern 15th in the 2. Bundesliga table, each on two points.
What is St. Pauli's current form?
Managed by Marcel Rapp, St. Pauli began the campaign with a 1-1 draw against Fürth and a 2-2 draw at Kiel, where they let a two-goal lead slip. The team also suffered a surprise DFB-Pokal exit to third-tier side Rot-Weiss Essen, with Marek Jenssen and Semir Telalovic scoring for Essen. Despite the disappointing start and cup defeat, captain David Nemeth stresses the squad's positive mood. "The defeat has not knocked them off course," Nemeth said. He added they are "working hard, staying positive despite no win, and trust their quality." Their season tally shows three goals scored and three conceded for a zero goal difference.
Who is unavailable for the match?
Rapp will be without two players for the clash with Kaiserslautern. Matthias Pereira Lage and Gísli Thórdarson are both unavailable. Otherwise, the coach has a largely fit squad to choose from. St. Pauli's predicted lineup is a 3-4-1-2 formation with Nikola Voll in goal. David Nemeth, Tobias Mathisen, and Yuta Andō are expected to form the back three. The midfield could feature Jakub Pyrka, Keito Nakamura, Rasmus Carstensen, and Dženis Burnić, with Branimir Hrgota and Etienne Amenyido up front. The full squad details are on our squad page.
How has opponent Kaiserslautern performed?
The Palatinate side drew 0-0 against promotion favourites Wolfsburg and 0-0 against Karlsruher SC in their opening league matches. Goalkeeper Julian Krahl has been praised for his performances. In the cup, however, Kaiserslautern won a derby at Waldhof Mannheim that was disrupted by stoppages and fan interventions. Ibrahim Kanate scored the winner in the 120th minute. For the trip to Hamburg, only Ivan Prtajin is set to be absent. Kaiserslautern's coach Friedhelm Funkel is likely to use a 3-4-2-1 system spearheaded by striker Valmir Berisha.
What does the head-to-head record show?
History offers reason for optimism for the Kiezkickers. St. Pauli has won the last three meetings against Kaiserslautern. The Red Devils have only won once in the past five encounters. Kaiserslautern's last victory at the Millerntor-Stadion came back in 2014, making St. Pauli the dominant side at home in this fixture in recent years. This positive record could provide a psychological edge.
What are the implications for the season ahead?
A win on Sunday is crucial for St. Pauli to climb out of the mid-table positions and keep pace with the leading teams. They currently trail league leaders Hertha BSC by seven points. The upcoming fixtures after this match are listed on our fixtures page. The team must convert the promising aspects of their early performances into a full three-point haul to avoid losing sight of their season objectives early on. The complete league table and further statistics are available on our standings page.
