The Rhine Main derby returns on 12 September 2026 at the MEWA Arena and the two sides could hardly be arriving in more different shape. Mainz 05 sit fifth after two matches, unbeaten with a +5 goal difference, whereas Eintracht Frankfurt are down in 13th after a defeat and a draw that left their defence badly exposed. Both clubs are navigating new managerial regimes, which gives this fixture a slightly different charge compared with a standard derby.
Mainz have been excellent early on. A 5-0 dismantling of Hamburger SV on 6 September showed their depth in attack and their discipline at the back, following a 0-0 draw away at Paderborn on 29 August and the 9-0 DFB Pokal rout of VfB Krieschow on 23 August completed a perfect three game opening, with five scored and none conceded across two Bundesliga games telling that story on its own. Frankfurt, by contrast, have been a mess: a 1-4 loss at Augsburg on 6 September came after a 3-3 draw at home to Union Berlin on 29 August and seven goals conceded in two league games is not the start Hütter would have wanted.
No major absences on either side, so both managers pick from full squads. Urs Fischer, appointed in December 2025 after Bo Henriksen's departure, has built a compact, well organised Mainz side that has yet to concede in the Bundesliga. Adi Hütter, who took over on 1 July 2026, inherited a squad with Burkardt and Ebnoutalib already combining for four goals this season but has so far struggled to stop his defence leaking - seven goals conceded in two league games is a brutal early number.
Fischer has built a side that funnels teams into wide areas and then releases Becker in behind, a pattern that showed up clearly in the Hamburg game. Phillip Tietz gives them a target to aim at while Nadiem Amiri operates in the half spaces behind him, making for a setup designed to absorb and then punish, which is exactly what happened against Hamburger SV. Frankfurt under Hütter want to move the ball quickly and carry it into the final third but the gaps that creates (Augsburg found four of them) are the clearest pattern of his first two games. Jonathan Burkardt leads the line and is the obvious threat, with Younes Ebnoutalib already on three goals for the season. If Frankfurt's press leaves space in behind, Mainz have the runners to exploit it.
Mainz have not lost this fixture at the MEWA Arena in five attempts, though four of those ended level, which fits the profile of a game decided at a set piece rather than through open play. Their three most recent meetings tell the same story: a 2-1 Mainz win on 22 March 2026, a 1-0 Frankfurt win on 9 November 2025 and a 1-1 draw on 4 May 2025. Frankfurt have looked vulnerable from corners and dead balls in both league games so far, which is exactly where Mainz have been sharpest. Mainz have won all three of their pre derby fixtures while Frankfurt have not won any of theirs.
Go with 2-1 Mainz. A side that has not conceded in two Bundesliga games is playing at home against one that has shipped seven and Becker is waiting for the space Frankfurt will give him. Ebnoutalib is already on three goals this season and Frankfurt will probably score but keeping a clean sheet looks well beyond them right now. The pace Becker brings in behind and the target Tietz gives them should be enough against a back line this porous. 2-1 Mainz.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
