Niko Kovac is staying at Borussia Dortmund until 2029. The 54-year-old signed a new contract on Tuesday, along with assistants Robert Kovac and Filip Tapalovic, and the club's sporting director wasted little time explaining why.
Lars Ricken said the extension was "a clear sign of consistency and stability at Borussia Dortmund". He added that Kovac enjoys "a high level of acceptance within our club" and that the two sides agreed quickly.
The record that earned the deal
Kovac took charge in the spring of 2025, with Dortmund drifting in mid-table. They are now a Champions League side and finished last season as Bundesliga runners-up. His first full campaign brought 73 points.
Over 53 top-flight fixtures he has averaged 2.15 points per game, which Goal describes as the best return of any manager in the club's history. This season has started well too. Dortmund have 13 points from their first five league games and are in touch with the leaders.
What Kovac said about the future
The coach struck an ambitious note rather than a grateful one. "We have a clear vision of how we want to play football, how we want to perform as a team, and what it takes to achieve our goals," he said. He added that the group would not be satisfied with what it has achieved and would "work every day to improve".
He also spoke of "great potential" and said he was convinced the team "can achieve much more". That is a bold line for a club that has finished second, and it quietly sets the bar for what he expects over the next three seasons.
A busy week to prove the point
The new contract lands in the middle of a congested run. Dortmund travel to Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt in Wednesday's Champions League matchday two, then visit Union Berlin at the weekend in Bundesliga matchday six. Away trips like those are where a side in the title conversation either holds its nerve or leaks points.
Kovac now has the security to rotate and plan without the usual contract chatter. Whether that turns into a first league title for the club since the Klopp years is another matter, but the board has clearly decided to back the man in the dugout.
Contract context: Niko Kovac, 54, head coach, new contract at Borussia Dortmund until June 2029, with assistants Robert Kovac and Filip Tapalovic. 2.15 points per game in 53 Bundesliga matches, 73 points last season. Next: Bodo/Glimt away (Champions League), Union Berlin away (Bundesliga). Source: Goal.
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