Hoffenheim vs Borussia Dortmund: Key TV Details and Form Guide

Borussia Dortmund head to Sinsheim on 5 September 2026 chasing early-season momentum and wary of a Hoffenheim side that has already bloodied their nose this year. Kick-off at the SNP Arena is set for 14:30, and the stakes feel heavier than the league table suggests: Dortmund sit fifth, Hoffenheim 14th, but the gap in mood is far wider than the gap in points.

Where to watch around the world

This one is going global. Broadcasters are spread across almost every major market, with fans needing to dig into their local rights holders to find the action.

In India, coverage comes via ZEE5, while beIN Sports carries the game across China, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, and several other territories.
In the United States and Puerto Rico, the match is available on Peacock and UNIVERSO.
Germany and Austria share coverage between Sky Sport and DAZN, with DAZN also holding rights in Spain, Portugal, Japan, Canada, Luxembourg and several other European territories.
The United Kingdom and Ireland lean on Sky Sports, with DAZN also involved in the UK.
Across much of Africa, Canal+ Sport 1 Afrique and StarTimes share the load, while Disney+ Premium covers large parts of South America, including Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela and Chile.
In Mexico and Central America, FOX and FOX+ step in, and in Brazil the game is on OneFootball (International).
From Viaplay in the Nordic countries and the Netherlands, to Okko Sport in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, to Arena Sport in the Balkans, the fixture is stitched into a dense global broadcast map.

Watching with a VPN

For fans blocked by regional restrictions or travelling abroad, a VPN offers a way back to the action. By routing your connection through a server in a country where the match is being shown, you can access the relevant broadcaster as if you were there.

The basic route is simple:

Sign up to a reputable VPN service and install the app on your device.
Connect to a server in a country where the game is broadcast.
Clear cookies or refresh your browser so websites recognise the new location.
Head to the broadcaster’s site or app and start the stream.

To get it on the big screen, Android-based Smart TVs and devices like Amazon Fire TV Stick or Google Chromecast with Google TV usually support native VPN apps. Log in, connect, and you’re set. For Apple TV, Roku and many consoles, the workaround is to use Smart DNS from your VPN account settings, or cast/mirror the stream from a VPN-connected phone or laptop.

Team news: Hoffenheim

Christian Ilzer’s selection puzzle is relatively straightforward. Alexander Prass is the one confirmed absentee, leaving the Hoffenheim coach with a largely intact squad but a team still searching for rhythm.

Oliver Baumann is expected to start in goal, shielded by a back line featuring Ozan Kabak, Albian Hajdari and Bernardo, with Vladimir Coufal also in the defensive unit. In midfield, Bambase Conte, Wouter Burger, Adam Daghim and Leon Avdullahu are all projected to start, tasked with both disrupting Dortmund’s passing lanes and supplying the front line.

Up top, Adam Hlozek and Tim Lemperle are tipped to lead the attack. No suspensions cloud Ilzer’s plans, so any late tweaks will come down to fitness and tactical nuance rather than disciplinary issues.

Team news: Borussia Dortmund

Niko Kovac arrives with a stronger league position but a thinner squad sheet. Dortmund travel without several key names: Nico Schlotterbeck, Emre Can, Giannis Konstantelias, Justin Lerma and Mussa Kaba are all listed as injured, while Samuele Inacio serves a suspension.

Gregor Kobel should start in goal. In front of him, Joane Gadou, Daniel Svensson and Waldemar Anton form the core of the defence, with Julian Ryerson adding energy and bite on the flank. Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha are set to anchor midfield, responsible for both tempo and protection.

Further forward, there is a blend of youth and threat. Konstantinos Karetsas, Jobe Bellingham and Maximilian Beier are expected to operate behind Serhou Guirassy, whose goals will be central to Dortmund’s hopes of turning possession into points.

Form guide: Hoffenheim searching for stability

Hoffenheim’s last five games tell a story of inconsistency. One win, one draw, three defeats. Seven goals scored, ten conceded, and not a single clean sheet in that run.

Their most recent outing was a 3-2 Bundesliga loss to Cologne on August 29, a result that underlined their defensive fragility despite some attacking spark. The lone competitive high point in that stretch came in the DFB-Pokal, a commanding 4-0 victory over Erzgebirge Aue.

Friendlies against Tottenham offered mixed signals: a draw and a defeat, more goals shipped, more questions asked of their back line. Sitting 14th in the Bundesliga, Hoffenheim need something more solid than flashes of promise.

Form guide: Dortmund carry the heavier punch

Dortmund’s recent record looks far healthier. Across their last five matches, they have three wins, one draw and just one defeat, with 12 goals scored and seven conceded.

They arrive on the back of a ruthless 5-0 DFB-Pokal demolition of HEBC Hamburg on September 1, a performance that showcased their attacking depth. Their Bundesliga campaign opened with a 2-0 victory over Hamburger SV on August 29, a controlled, professional display that suggested Kovac’s ideas are bedding in quickly.

The only real blemish in that sequence is the 2-1 Super Cup loss to Bayern Munich, wedged between the Hamburg win and a 2-2 pre-season draw with Roma. Even there, Dortmund created chances and stayed competitive. Fifth place in the table feels like a platform, not a ceiling.

Head-to-head: Hoffenheim’s reminder

Dortmund might carry the bigger reputation, but the recent history between these sides is balanced and just a little awkward for the visitors.

The last meeting came on April 18, 2026, when Hoffenheim beat Dortmund 2-1 at the SNP Arena. That result still lingers. Across the last five clashes, Dortmund edge it only slightly: two wins to Hoffenheim’s two, with one draw. Fourteen goals have flown in across those games, a pattern that hints at another open contest.

Dortmund’s most recent home win in the fixture was a 2-0 success at Signal Iduna Park in December 2025. Away from home, the margins have been thinner, the games more chaotic.

The stakes in Sinsheim

So it comes to this: a Hoffenheim side in need of a statement and defensive order, against a Dortmund team that has found its scoring touch but travels without several important names.

Hoffenheim know they can hurt Dortmund; April’s win proved it. Dortmund know they cannot afford to drift if they want to turn a solid start into a genuine title push.

Fourteenth versus fifth on paper. On the pitch, a meeting that could say far more about where each of these seasons is really heading.