The story of 2025/26
Having narrowly missed out on promotion in the previous campaign, finishing fourth in 2024/24, Paderborn continued their promotion push this season under new coach Ralf Kettemann.
They moved in and out of the top two after putting together some superb runs of form - winning eight matches in a row from September to November and clocking up another 10-match unbeaten run in the spring.
Defeats to Schalke (3-2) and Elversberg (5-1) made for a nervy finale but, after reclaiming third place on the final day, Paderborn got the job done in the play-off against Wolfsburg.
