Bundesliga 2024 TV Schedule USA and Streaming Links

Bundesliga TV schedule

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Watch Bundesliga today on ESPN+.

Browse the Bundesliga TV schedule below for games shown on US television and streaming, on channels such as ESPN+, ESPN Deportes and ABC.

ESPN+ has the exclusive rights to the German Bundesliga league in both English- and Spanish-languages.

Watch German soccer on ESPN+:

ESPN+ is available for just $10.99/month or for $14.99/month as part of the Disney+ bundle that includes ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+. (If you’re planning to watch the Bundesliga for the entire season, ESPN+ offers a $109.99 annual plan, which will help you save even more money).

For cord cutters who don’t have access to ESPN or ESPN2, you may want to consider Sling Orange and Fubo, who both typically offer a free trial (find out how to watch Bundesliga matches without cable).

New rights deal

ESPN plans to broadcast a minimum of between four and eight Bundesliga games on U.S. television each season. For more insight, here’s everything you need to know about the new US rights deal.

The 2020/21 Bundesliga season was the first under the new rights deal with ESPN. It’s part of the six-year agreement that will end at the close of the 2025-26 season. You can also watch 2. Bundesliga games on ESPN+. 2. Bundesliga is the second division in the German soccer pyramid. It is the equivalent to the Championship in England or Serie B in Italy. Recently, some 3. Liga games have appeared on ESPN3. These games are available to stream for TV subscribers who have ESPN networks in their channel lineup.

Bundesliga History

Few leagues in the rich fabric of world soccer can match the legendary status and fierce rivalry of Germany’s Bundesliga. The Bundesliga has become a byword for elite soccer because of its legendary teams, legendary fans, and legendary combination of tradition and innovation.

Throughout Germany, the top divison has grown into an integral aspect of everyday life throughout the last half-century. Its unparalleled success story has propelled it to the status of Germany’s premier sports product. In addition, the immense favorable reaction it has received from fans has helped establish it as one of the world’s most formidable soccer leagues.

Idea behind Bundesliga

There were many regional levels in German soccer before the Bundesliga was formed. Each representing a different area of West Germany, including Berlin, the north, the south, the southwest, and the west. There would be a second round to determine the national winner for that year, with the top two finishers from each area qualifying.

From 1948 until reunification in 1990, two halves of Germany had separate league systems. From 1948 to 1991, the highest tier of the Eastern league system was the DS-Oberliga. This was was renamed the Fußball Oberliga DFV in 1958.

Back then, everything was on an amateur or semi-professional level. However, with the merger of West Germany’s Oberligen, a new professional era began for soccer in the nation.

People in Germany formed the Bundesliga for a few different reasons. One was to make the sport more professional in Germany. Another was to keep the top players from leaving for greener pastures. Lastly, after losing in the quarterfinals of the 1962 FIFA World Cup to hosts Chile, the German national team needed a dramatic turnaround.

More than two weeks after this defeat, the German Football Association (DFB) decided to establish a national professional soccer league in Dortmund on August 24, 1962. Additionally, the first season of the Bundesliga began on August 24, 1963.

How did Bundesliga come to be?

Five clubs from the Oberliga West, five more from the South, three from the North, two from the Southwest, and one from Berlin would eventually join, according to a unanimous decision.

In the beginning, there were these teams: 1860 Munich, Cologne, Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Braunschweig, Eintracht Frankfurt, Hamburg, Hertha Berlin, Kaiserslautern, Karlsruhe, Preußen Munster, MSV Duisburg, Nuremberg, Saarbrücken, Schalke, VfB Stuttgart, and Werder Bremen.

No matter where they landed in the complicated rankings displaying performances over the last decade, the corresponding league winners from the preceding season were assured of a slot. Additionally, each city may only have one team in the Bundesliga, according to the law.

Therefore, Bayern Munich were disqualified from consideration since 1860 Munich won the 1962-63 championship even though they were ahead of them in the 10-year rankings.

The first goal of the first Bundesliga season occurred in the very first minute of play on August 24, 1963. Timo Konietzka of Dortmund will go down in history as the player who made history by scoring in the 58th minute of their match versus Werder.

Early rules and style of play

As there were only eleven players permitted to play, the early goalkeepers did not wear gloves. Substitutions were introduced in 1967, but initially, they were only made when the team doctor thought it was essential. The team’s shirts were plain white with no sponsor logos or multicolored shoes.

As per DFB’s official website, ticket prices for Schalke’s stands were 1.40 Deutschmark, and television coverage was limited to three games at most. What happened in the other matches was still a major mystery since they were not televised.

There was no television deal throughout the first two years. For 647,000 Deutschmarks, the German Football Association (DFB) inked a contract with the two publicly-owned television stations in 1965.

Meanwhile, the stadiums evoked the spirit of the early days of American history with their wooden stands and manually controlled scoreboards. Because they were all working different jobs, the players could only make up to 1,200 Deutschmark each month.

Iconic moments and East-West reunion

Bayern Munich emerged as the dominant force in the Bundesliga as it progressed. The club had a rough go of it before the Bundesliga was formed in 1900, but they wasted little time establishing themselves as the undisputed champions. Bayern Munich became a dominant force in German soccer under the tutelage of renowned coaches such as Uli Hoeneß, Gerd Muller, and Franz Beckenbauer.

Iconic events and captivating characters have graced the Bundesliga stage throughout its history. There has been no shortage of drama, flair, and unforgettable personalities in this league, from the “Borussia Derby” between Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Mönchengladbach to the unstoppable Oliver Kahn protecting Bayern Munich’s goal.

In 1989, Germany had a watershed event with the collapse of the Berlin Wall. And the Bundesliga was instrumental in bringing the East and West halves of the country back together. When Eastern clubs like Hansa Rostock and Dynamo Dresden entered, it added fresh rivalries and stories to the league.

Bundesliga: 21st century and modern history

As the new century began, the Bundesliga adapted to the shifting dynamics of international soccer. The league became a household name throughout the world because of investments in stadiums, youth programs, and advertising. The capacity of the league to produce superstars like Robert Lewandowski, Michael Ballack, and Miroslav Klose ushered in a new age of greatness.

The Bundesliga has since grown in importance over the last half-century in Germany. At half past three on Saturday afternoons, millions of fans—and it’s no longer just men—feel their anticipation mounting as all other appointments and activities take a back seat.

Whether it’s at the stadium, in front of the TV, or on the radio—the most popular means to listen to the first 30 years of the league—they follow their dream of being a part of the Bundesliga action.

Courtesy of World Soccer Talk, download a complimentary copy of The Ultimate Soccer TV And Streaming Guide, which features details on where to watch all of the leagues from around the world on US TV and streaming. It features the Bundesliga TV schedule and much more.

To find out when soccer games are on, download the free Soccer TV Schedules App which includes listings of all of the live soccer matches available in the United States (available on Apple iOS devices and Android devices).

SEE MORE: Where and how to watch Bundesliga on US TV and streaming

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