Just under two weeks before the 2025/26 DFB-Pokal final lights up Berlin, the German Football Association has named Sven Jablonski as the man in the middle for the showdown between Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart.

For the 36-year-old referee, this marks a career milestone—his first time officiating a German Cup final. Jablonski, who just worked his 125th Bundesliga match on Sunday (1. FC Köln vs. 1. FC Heidenheim), will bring a wealth of top-flight experience to the pitch.

He’ll be backed by a strong crew: assistant referees Sascha Thielert and Eduard Beitinger, fourth official Frank Willenborg, and fifth official Eric Müller. In a notable shift, video assistant referees Sören Storks and Christian Fischer will be present in Berlin for the first time, rather than working remotely from the Video Assistant Centre in Cologne.

“It is a great honour to officiate this final. For us as a team, the DFB-Pokal final is an absolute highlight, and we are extremely excited for a special football night in Berlin,” Jablonski said.

The stakes couldn’t be higher: record German champions Bayern Munich face defending DFB-Pokal holders VfB Stuttgart. Kickoff is set for 20:00 on May 23, promising a memorable night of cup football in the capital.