As Fortuna Düsseldorf prepares to host the historic Straßenbahn-Derby against MSV Duisburg on September 12, 2026, fans across Germany face multiple viewing options, including live television broadcasts on MagentaSport and WDR, alongside regional broadcast coverage throughout the third-tier football season.
Tradition and Stakes in the West German Clash
The 3. Liga delivers top games in abundance. The next blockbuster in the Third League is Fortuna Düsseldorf against MSV Duisburg. Here, two former Bundesliga clubs face each other. Read where you can follow the game today live and for free on TV and stream. In any case, the match can be seen on MagentaSport, as the Telekom channel broadcasts all games of the third-highest football division.
The upcoming match at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf marks the return of a storied rivalry that has paused for eight and a half years. Numerous supporters are expected to fill the stadium for the fixture between two former Bundesliga clubs. The signs could hardly be more exciting: while the Zebras are riding through the league at high speed as table leaders with four wins from four games, Fortuna is still in the middle of a restart after the upheaval in the summer.
However, the Düsseldorf team has recently sent important signs of life. Two games without conceding a goal and a clear 5:0 in the state cup against SV Biemenhorst are intended to provide tailwind for the derby. By the way, and this speaks for the hosts: Duisburg has been waiting 45 years for a competitive match victory in Düsseldorf.
Direct Comparison Fortuna against MSV
Düsseldorf and Duisburg have faced each other in 42 games so far, with 28 matches in the Bundesliga, twelve in the 2. Bundesliga, and two in the DFB-Pokal. The Fortunen won 18 matches, the Duisburgers 10. 14 games ended in a draw.
Broadcasting Rights and Where to Watch the 3. Liga
In total, all 380 encounters in the third-highest German division can be seen live and on demand via MagentaSport – 312 of them exclusively. For the current TV rights period until the end of this season, Telekom, as the parent company, holds the broadcasting rights to all games of the Third League.
In addition to the total of 380 games, each of which can be viewed live and on demand, fans also get everything worth knowing about the Third League – and all the highlights – at MagentaSport. Yes. Every Saturday, the games can be followed in the conference at 2 p.m. During English weeks, there are two additional conferences – on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The neighborhood duel in the 3. Liga can be seen on free-to-air television. Those who want to experience the game live can also do so with a subscription to MagentaSport. With a small trick, you can watch the game on DFB Play. The DFB streaming service broadcasts 3. Liga matches – abroad. To watch it in Germany, you must bypass the geoblocking via a VPN service. Or you can simply switch on WDR, as the match between Düsseldorf and Duisburg is one of the few encounters broadcast live on free TV.
Production Teams and Broadcast Infrastructure
Since the 2017/18 season, MagentaSport has broadcast the Third League and maintains a close connection to it.
Jörg Krause, head of communications at thinXpool, stated that MagentaSport offered emotion, strong staging, flawless execution, and powerful content, adding that they anticipated many highlights for Fortuna.
Jörg Krause, Head of Communications at thinXpool
The moderator team includes Sascha Bandermann, Thomas Wagner, Christian Straßburger, Alexander Klich, Kamila Benschop and is World Cup-proven. As experts, Fabian Klos, Steven Ruprecht, Markus Schwabl, and Daniel Flottmann remain for the new season. New to the commentary team is Keanu Reimler. 68 games will be broadcast on free-to-air television by ARD in its third programs. According to the media rights contract, ARD and the regional broadcasting corporations have the right to broadcast two live games per week.