Back in the 2008/09 season, Wolfsburg stunned German football by winning their first-ever Bundesliga title, powered by legendary stars like Edin Džeko and Grafite. Seventeen years later, the club now faces one of the darkest moments in its history after dropping out of Germany’s top flight for the first time since earning promotion in 1997.
Wolfsburg’s relegation was confirmed after a painful 2-1 extra-time defeat away to Paderborn in the second leg of the Bundesliga relegation playoff. The tie had ended 0-0 in the first leg before Paderborn completed a dramatic 2-1 aggregate victory to secure promotion to the Bundesliga.
The Wolves actually started brightly in the decisive clash, taking an early lead through Dzenan Pejčinović in the third minute. However, their hopes suffered a massive setback after Joakim Mæhle was sent off early in the match, leaving Wolfsburg to battle with 10 men for most of the encounter. Filip Bilbija equalized for Paderborn before Laurin Curda struck the decisive extra-time winner that sealed Wolfsburg’s fate.
The relegation ends Wolfsburg’s remarkable 29-year stay in the Bundesliga and represents a shocking decline for a club once considered one of Germany’s elite sides. Despite significant investment and high expectations at the beginning of the 2025/26 season, Wolfsburg struggled throughout the campaign and ultimately failed to survive the relegation playoffs.
For football fans across Germany, the downfall of Wolfsburg serves as a painful reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in football. From lifting the Bundesliga trophy in 2009 to suffering relegation in 2026, the Wolves’ story has become one of the most dramatic rises and falls in recent German football history.