Borussia Dortmund has extended the contract of its Croatian coach Niko Kovač for an additional season until 2027, the German club announced on Tuesday. Kovač, who previously managed Bayern Munich, Eintracht Frankfurt, and AS Monaco, took over Dortmund in January 2025 when the team was in 11th place. Despite a drop to 13th place, he steered the team to win 22 of 24 points available and finish fourth, qualifying for the Champions League. Kovač stated, “Through honest work, clear decisions, and great enthusiasm, we want to help Borussia Dortmund return to its former strength.” Sporting director Sebastian Kehl praised Kovač’s confidence, resilience, and passion in every match, expressing belief in continuing the successful momentum from the previous season. Kovač’s greatest success in German football was winning the domestic cup with Frankfurt in 2018, followed by a double with Bayern in the 2018-2019 season before being dismissed the next season.

As a player, he represented Croatia 83 times, scoring 14 goals, and played for Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, and Hamburg. Dortmund started the current season with a disappointing 3-3 draw against St. Pauli after conceding two goals and receiving a red card in the last five minutes.