FC Köln host FC Union Berlin in the second round of the DFB Pokal on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. Kick-off is scheduled for 19:45 local time at RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne. Both sides won their opening cup matches, but their recent league results offer a more mixed picture ahead of this Bundesliga meeting. Köln have won only one of their last six games, while Union are unbeaten in four. With recent head-to-head results generally tight, this cup tie gives both teams an opportunity to build on a run in which victories have been hard to come by for the hosts.

FC Köln's Recent Form and Key Stats

FC Köln enter the match after a 0-0 draw against Schalke 04 on October 24. Across their last five fixtures, they have recorded one win, two draws and two defeats, scoring an average of 1.0 goals per game and conceding 1.2. Their six-match record is similarly uneven: one victory and three draws. Köln have also failed to score in two of their recent matches, making the goalless result against Schalke part of a wider attacking concern.

Defensively, clean sheets have been difficult to secure. Köln have conceded at least once in 35 of their last 37 matches, although their latest outing was an exception. Their DFB Pokal campaign began with a win in which they averaged 2.0 goals scored and 1.0 conceded. There have been at least two total goals in each of Köln's last 10 cup matches, a contrast with the scoreline of their most recent game.

The timing of goals is another point to watch. At least one second-half goal has been scored in 20 of Köln's last 22 matches and in 19 of their last 21 home fixtures. That does not guarantee a late goal on Tuesday, but it shows how often their games have changed after the interval.

FC Union Berlin's Recent Form and Key Stats

FC Union Berlin also drew on October 24, finishing 1-1 against FC Augsburg. Their last five matches have produced two wins, two draws and one defeat, including an unbeaten run of four games. Over that five-match stretch, Union have averaged 0.6 goals scored and 1.6 conceded per game. The limited scoring return leaves a question over how consistently they can turn chances into goals, even as their recent results have improved.

Union's first DFB Pokal match was a victory, with 4.0 goals scored and 2.0 conceded in their cup record so far. That result differs sharply from their more restrained recent run. The broader second-half trend is clear: at least one goal after the break has been scored in 30 of Union's last 32 matches and in each of their last 16 away games.

Union have trailed at half-time in 10 of their last 16 matches, while both teams have scored in the second half in nine of their last 15. Those figures underline the potential for the contest to shift after half-time, though Köln's own recent difficulty in front of goal makes an open game far from certain.

FC Köln vs FC Union Berlin Match Analysis

There is no simple reading of this matchup. Köln's latest match ended without a goal, and Union have averaged fewer than one goal scored across their last five. Four of the teams' last six meetings featured fewer than three goals. At the same time, the most recent head-to-head encounter ended 2-2 on May 2, 2026, and Köln's long run of conceding gives Union reason to believe they can find a way through.

From Köln's perspective, Union's average of 1.6 goals conceded over their last five matches offers encouragement despite the hosts' own modest scoring rate. The supplied head-to-head summary gives Köln one win, two draws and two defeats, with averages of 1.0 goal scored and 1.4 conceded. Neither side has a decisive recent edge in those meetings, and both arrive having drawn their previous fixture.

The cup setting brings those competing trends together: recent scores suggest a close contest, while defensive records and the last 2-2 meeting leave room for goals at both ends. Köln will want to improve on their blank against Schalke, and Union will look to extend their unbeaten run. Whether either side can do so may depend on making the most of a scoring opportunity in a match where second-half goals have been a recurring feature for both teams.

FC Köln vs FC Union Berlin prediction from BetMines: Both Teams To Score (Yes) with 61% probability.