Greuther Fürth will play Bundesliga 2 football in 2026/27 after defeating Rot-Weiß Essen 2-0 in the second leg of the relegation play-off at Sportpark Ronhof, ending what had been an uncomfortable few weeks for the Franconian club.
Noel Futkeu and Branimir Hrgota scored the goals that settled the tie, sending Fürth through on the night and securing their place among the second tier's constituents for another season. Essen, who come from the 3. Liga, will return to the third division having been unable to force the upset that promotion play-offs occasionally produce.
For Fürth, the relief will be considerable. A club that has spent much of the past decade navigating the gap between the Bundesliga and its second tier, they know well enough the consequences of dropping into the third division. Survival via the play-off route is rarely comfortable, but the result is the same as a top-half finish in the table: another year at this level, and another chance to build.
Futkeu's contribution will be noted. Hrgota, a longer-serving presence at the club, has been through enough of these high-stakes moments to understand what the occasion demanded, and he delivered when it mattered. The two goals between them were enough to close the door on Essen without drama in the final stages.
For Rot-Weiß Essen, the defeat ends a campaign that had promised the possibility of a return to professional football's second tier. They will regroup in the 3. Liga. Fürth, meanwhile, can begin their summer planning with the certainty of knowing which division they will occupy — and that, after the anxiety of a relegation play-off, is no small thing.