Borussia Dortmund have extended head coach Niko Kovac’s contract until June 30, 2029, with the 54-year-old signing a new deal with the eight-time German champions on Tuesday. Assistant coaches Robert Kovac, 52, and Filip Tapalovic, 49, will also remain at the club.
Lars Ricken, Managing Director of Sports, said: “With Niko Kovac, we’ve been on a very good path since he took office a little over a year and a half ago. He has consistently developed the team and is highly regarded within our club. Extending Niko’s contract is also a clear sign of consistency and stability at Borussia Dortmund. And Niko knows what he has in Borussia Dortmund. That’s why we quickly agreed to continue on this path together.”
Chief Executive Officer Carsten Cramer added: “Niko Kovac identifies strongly with BVB, and that’s not the only reason he’s such a good fit for our club. The unity between Niko, his coaching staff, and our sports management is incredibly refreshing. Accordingly, we were able to agree on continuing our collaboration quickly and amicably.”
Kovac and his coaching staff took charge of Dortmund in the spring of 2025, when the team were 11th in the Bundesliga standings. He guided BVB to UEFA Champions League qualification on the final matchday of the 2024–25 season before leading the club to a second-place finish last season.
Dortmund collected 73 points in that campaign, the fifth-highest total in the club’s history.
Sporting Director Ole Book said: “A trusting relationship has developed between Niko and me since my first day here. Niko works with extreme meticulousness, and his experience gives him a calmness that benefits the team. We’re in touch almost daily and are working on taking the next steps with the team to ensure BVB’s success.”
Kovac has taken charge of 53 Bundesliga matches with Borussia Dortmund, earning 114 points at an average of 2.15 points per game. No other BVB head coach has recorded a higher points-per-game average than the Croatian.
Speaking after signing his new contract, Kovac said: “Together, we’ve set a clear course for development and laid important foundations for the future. We want to build on that. We have a clear vision of how we play soccer, how we perform as a team, and what it takes to achieve our goals. The key is that we don’t rest on our laurels, but work every day to get better. We see great potential and are convinced that, together, with full conviction and great determination, we can still achieve a great deal.”