The Bundesliga Man of the Match award is back for a second season in 2026/27, and adidas has joined as the presentation partner. Fans still decide the winner, voting opens in the 86th minute and runs to the final whistle. Six players are nominated from official match data, and the first trophy of the new season will be handed out at the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup between Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund.
Fan voting stays in place
The organiser's line is clear enough. Bundesliga said: "You can get voting again as the popular Man of the Match award is back for a second season in 2026/27 - and has gained a high-profile partner with adidas."
The fan vote continues in the official Bundesliga app during the live blog for each match. Voting starts late, which keeps the focus on what happens in the closing stages rather than on the first half traffic.
The six-player shortlist is also a tidy way to keep the award linked to official match data rather than pure popularity. That structure gives the vote some football logic, even if the final call still sits with supporters.
First presentation at the Supercup
The first award of the 2026/27 season will come at the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup between Bayern and Dortmund. adidas will present each winner with their own trophy immediately after the final whistle, so the reveal will happen in the stadium rather than later on a broadcast graphic.
Bundesliga also said: "For all Bundesliga matches this season, fans can vote for their favourite player in the respective live blog on the official Bundesliga app."
Bayern go into that opening presentation with four wins and one draw across their last five matches, while Dortmund have won two and lost three in the same span. In the last five Bayern-Dortmund meetings, Bayern have won three, Dortmund one and one ended level.
The award is still fan-led, which is the key point. adidas adds polish and a sharper handover, but the vote stays with the supporters and the clock still runs from the 86th minute to the final whistle.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
