All information accurate as of August 23rd, 2026.
Club Name: SV 07 Elversberg
Founded: 1907
Stadium: Ursapharm-Arena – 14,221 capacity
Nickname: Die Schwarz und Weiß (The Black and Whites), Die Elv
Titles: No major titles
Head Coach: Vincent Wagner
Captain: Lukas Pinckert
Mascot: Paul the Panda
Goal Song: Gala – Freed from Desire
2025/26 Season: 2nd in 2. Bundesliga (promoted)
Opening Fixture: Leverkusen (H)
Another one on the long production line of coaches with limited playing backgrounds that now coach in the Bundesliga, Vincent Wagner enters the top flight having earned his stripes through youth team coaching in North-Rhine Westphalia. Starting at VfL Bochum, Wagner went on to coach at MSV Duisburg and Rot-Weiß Essen, before being given his berth as Head Coach of Hoffenheim’s reserve side in 2022. Following two consecutive 3rd-place finishes, Wagner brought Hoffenheim II into the 3. Liga by winning the 2024/25 Regionalliga Südwest with an 11-point gap to second place.
Less than two hours away in the Saarland, SV Elversberg were ruing a missed opportunity at achieving Bundesliga status. Based in the town of Spiesen-Elversberg, population 13,000 (and thus you can fit the entire town in the stadium), this unknown entity played in the aforementioned Regionalliga Südwest as recently as 2022, and they have achieved three promotions in just five seasons to reach the top tier. The consecutive promotions from fourth to second tier were achieved under Horst Steffen, who last managed the club in the promotion playoff that they lost in devastating fashion to their “road to glory” rivals 1. FC Heidenheim in May 2025.
Steffen departed Elversberg for Werder Bremen last summer, although he only lasted until February in that job. Wagner took Steffen’s place at Elversberg and continued the incredible project by sealing the final possible promotion.
With his lovely long hair and close, personal communication with his players, Wagner has carved out his own niche in management, and there is no reason for him to change his ways now. Given his background in youth coaching, Wagner backs himself to improve young talent, and Elversberg’s transfer policy reflects this strongly. Whether it will be enough to ensure survival, however, is another question entirely.
Elversberg have developed a reputation for their shrewd business in recent years, and remain profitable from a player transfer perspective. While they haven’t sold any players for cash this summer, they sit on strong reserves from previous seasons and are choosing to invest wisely in players that Wagner feels will have an immediate impact, but with room still to grow.
The most expensive acquisition is that of Borussia Dortmund right-winger Cole Campbell for €6m, who spent last season on loan at Hoffenheim but featured sparingly. I’d imagine coaching staff at Hoffenheim slid a scouting report under the desk for Wagner to see. For the opposite wing, Elversberg spent €2m on Maurice Krattenmacher from Bayern München, who is just 20 years old, the same as Campbell. Loan deals for attacking midfielders Noah Darvich (Stuttgart) and Francis Onyeka (Leverkusen), both 19, should reinforce Wagner’s side creatively, with both players held in very high regard at their parent clubs.
Hamburg’s Łukasz Poręba joins permanently for €1.6m following a successful loan spell last campaign, the 26-year-old defensive midfielder staying well out of Merlin Polzin’s plans at the Volksparkstadion.
Last season’s top scorer in the 2. Bundesliga, Noel Futkeu, joins as an additional option up front to compete with David Mokwa. Futkeu scored 19 goals for 16th placed Greuther Fürth, which is not to be sniffed at, and has since moved to Eintracht Frankfurt – Futkeu joins Elversberg on loan from Die Adler.
Holding midfielder Carlo Sickinger departs for free in Darmstadt’s direction, having been reduced to a rotational role last season. Attacking midfielder Bambasé Conté, crucial in achieving promotion, has returned to Hoffenheim after his loan deal concluded, and there is no sign of a return to Elversberg for the 23-year-old.
Right-wing technician Lukas Petkov is a huge player for Wagner’s side, and the Bulgarian international needs to hit the ground running with some early goals in order to build up momentum for Elversberg. The 25-year-old joined from his boyhood club Augsburg two years ago, and was one of the elite players in last year’s 2. Bundesliga with 13 goals and four assists. Although predominantly right-footed, Petkov is comfortable cutting inside to shoot when the situation suits him, and he is equally dangerous when dribbling or crossing the ball.
He will face tough competition from Cole Campbell in his position, but I have no doubt that he is the superior player, and he is versatile enough to do a job in the number 10 role if needed.
The back line from last season is quite settled, as well as the holding midfielders. David Mokwa has been the first choice as number 9 but could rotate with Futkeu, and the three players behind the named striker will fight to be starting options (I still expect Petkov to be starting almost every game, but he has solid competition as mentioned).
16th. Something is telling me that Elversberg will win just enough games, especially in their home fixtures, to stave off relegation by the barest of margins. Even if it’s staying ahead of 17th place on goal difference and winning the relegation playoff on penalties, I think that they have the team spirit to get over the line.
1 - Bayern München
2 - Borussia Dortmund
3 - Bayer Leverkusen
4 - Eintracht Frankfurt
5 - RB Leipzig
6 -
7 -
8 - Union Berlin
9 - Freiburg
10 - Schalke
11 - Mainz
12 -
13 - Hamburg
14 - Augsburg
15 - Borussia Mönchengladbach
16 - Elversberg
17 - Köln
18 - Paderborn
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