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Schalke Seal Bundesliga Return With 1-0 Win Over Düsseldorf

Automatic promotion is sealed with the title still in play depending on Paderborn.

Soccer Football - 2. Bundesliga - Schalke 04 v Fortuna Dusseldorf - Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany - May 2, 2026 Schalke 04 fans let off flares in the stands REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen
Soccer Football - 2. Bundesliga - Schalke 04 v Fortuna Dusseldorf - Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany - May 2, 2026 Schalke 04 fans REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen
Soccer Football - 2. Bundesliga - Schalke 04 v Fortuna Dusseldorf - Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany - May 2, 2026 Fortuna Dusseldorf's Florian Kastenmeierb in action as he makes a save from Schalke 04's Kenan Karaman REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen
Schalke's Kenan Karaman scores the opening goal against Fortuna Duesseldorf on Saturday

Overview

  • Schalke, which beat Fortuna Düsseldorf 1-0 on Saturday, clinched automatic promotion with 67 points and ended a three-season stay in the second tier.
  • Captain Kenan Karaman scored the only goal in the first half to trigger celebrations at a sold-out Veltins-Arena.
  • Edin Džeko returned from injury as a second-half substitute after a January surge of six league goals that fueled the promotion push.
  • Coach Miron Muslic led a rapid turnaround from last season’s 14th-place finish, and his contract is now extended to 2028.
  • Fortuna sit one point above the drop zone, and Schalke can still win the 2. Bundesliga if Paderborn fail to win at Elversberg on Sunday.