VfL Wolfsburg has officially been relegated from the Bundesliga after losing 1-2 to SC Paderborn in the second leg of their relegation playoff on May 26, 2026. This defeat marks the end of a remarkable 29-year tenure in Germany's top football division, where they had been a constant presence since their promotion in 1997. The match began with an early goal from Wolfsburg's Dzenan Pejcinovic, but Paderborn equalized shortly before halftime through Filip Bilbija. The situation worsened for Wolfsburg when Joakim Maehle received a red card, leaving the team with 10 players. Despite a strong performance from goalkeeper Kamil Grabara, who made several crucial saves, Wolfsburg could not hold on, and Paderborn's Laurin Curda scored the winning goal in extra time. Paderborn's victory secures their third promotion to the Bundesliga, while Wolfsburg, a former league champion in 2009 and German Cup winner in 2015, will now compete in lower divisions after narrowly escaping relegation in previous seasons.