German youth teams set for U19 badminton and football league matches

The German U19 badminton national team opened its international series today in Zornheim, facing Switzerland with another match against the Czech Republic scheduled for the weekend. The three fixtures are intended to assess the squad ahead of the U19 European Championships in August. Coach Dirk Nötzel described the Swiss match as a close contest and sees the Czech side as a tougher test.

The German Football Association announced the group draws for the 2026/27 DFB youth leagues. Borussia Dortmund’s U19 side will compete in Group H against Schalke 04, Fortuna Düsseldorf, MSV Duisburg, Rot‑Weiss Essen, Rot‑Weiß Oberhausen and VfL Osnabrück, while the U17 team will play in Group G with Schalke 04, MSV Duisburg, Rot‑Weiss Essen, SC Preußen Münster, VfL Bochum, VfL Osnabrück and Wuppertaler SV. The season starts on 9 August 2026, with the group stage ending on 6 December.