Updated 23 October 2026.
FC Köln welcome Schalke 04 to the RheinEnergieStadion on Saturday 24 October, kick-off 14:30 UK, in a Bundesliga game between two sides in the bottom half of the table. Köln are 12th on 7 points and Schalke 15th on 5. Köln have scored 8 and conceded 11, while Schalke have managed just 4 goals in six games.
Schalke have the 4th fewest goals against in the league per game, but they also have the fewest goals scored of any side. Köln have seen both teams score in 83% of their games, the 3rd highest rate in the division.
Köln have lost three of their last five. Their one win in that spell was a 2-1 home victory over Gladbach on 11 October. They followed that with a 1-0 defeat at Frankfurt on Friday 16 October; before the Gladbach game came a 2-1 loss at Hamburg. Earlier in September they were beaten 4-1 at Stuttgart, and they drew 1-1 at home to Bremen. They win plenty of corners, the 5th most in the league, and have kept no clean sheet all season.
Schalke come in after a 1-0 home defeat to Mainz last Saturday and a 2-1 loss at Freiburg the week before. Their only win so far is a 3-1 victory at Union Berlin, and they have two 0-0 draws, with Bayern and Elversberg. They have kept a clean sheet in a third of their games, the 4th highest rate in the league, but they take the 2nd fewest shots on target and win the fewest corners.
FC Köln possible starting lineup:
Schwäbe; Sebulonsen, Lochoshvili, Simpson-Pusey, Sosa; Krauß, Jóhannesson; Maina, Moore, El Mala; Bülter
Schalke 04 possible starting lineup:
Karius; Kuruçay, Katic, Becker; Tanaka, El-Faouzi, Gantenbein; Gosens, Aouchiche; Adamu, Džeko
Ísak Jóhannesson has had a shot in all six of Köln's games and is 1.53 at bet365 to make it seven. Luka Lochoshvili has committed a foul in each of his last five, averaging 2.2 a game, and is 1.40 at Midnite for 1+. Said El Mala has made a tackle in five straight games and is 1.44 at bet365 to make another.
For Schalke, Hasan Kuruçay has made at least two tackles in six straight games, averaging 3.7, and is 1.44 at bet365 for 2+. Robin Gosens has done the same in five, at 1.22 with bet365. Soufian El-Faouzi has committed a foul in six in a row, averaging 1.3 a game, and is 1.30 at Midnite. Timo Becker has made a tackle in six straight games, averaging 2.7.
Köln are the favourites at 2.05 with bet365 to win at home, and our model makes them the more likely winner too: a 47% chance, against 27% for the draw and 26% for a Schalke win. Both teams to score is 1.53, over 2.5 goals 1.62 and over 1.5 goals 1.20.
| Market | Best price | Statz chance |
|---|---|---|
| Köln win | 2.05 | 47% |
| Draw | 3.75 | 27% |
| Schalke win | 3.30 | 26% |
| Both teams to score | 1.53 | 54% |
| Over 2.5 goals | 1.62 | 50% |
| Over 1.5 goals | 1.20 | 76% |
We expect Köln to score about 1.6 and Schalke about 1.1. 1-1 is the likeliest single score at 13%, though we make Köln the more likely winner, and a draw is in play. Our prediction is FC Köln 1-1 Schalke 04. Köln are projected to take 16 shots to Schalke's 11, and to have 6 on target to Schalke's 4.
Saturday 24 October 2026, kick-off 14:30 UK at the RheinEnergieStadion in the Bundesliga.
FC Köln 1-1 Schalke 04. It is the likeliest single score at 13%, though we make Köln slightly more likely to win and a draw is in play.
Köln are favourites, 2.05 at bet365 to win, and we give them a 47% chance against 26% for Schalke and 27% for the draw.
We put both teams to score at 54%, and it is 1.53 at bet365. Köln have seen both sides score in 83% of their games.
Ísak Jóhannesson has had a shot in all six of Köln's games, and Hasan Kuruçay has made 2+ tackles in six straight for Schalke.
Köln are 12th on 7 points from six games, and Schalke 15th on 5 points.
Köln: Schwäbe; Sebulonsen, Lochoshvili, Simpson-Pusey, Sosa; Krauß, Jóhannesson; Maina, Moore, El Mala; Bülter. Schalke: Karius; Kuruçay, Katic, Becker; Tanaka, El-Faouzi, Gantenbein; Gosens, Aouchiche; Adamu, Džeko.