FC Augsburg are the efficiency champions of the Bundesliga. In the completed 2025/26 season, the club achieved the best points return per euro invested despite having the fifteenth-highest budget.
With total costs of €125 million for personnel, depreciation, and operating expenses, Augsburg secured 43 points and a ninth-place finish. This results in a cost of approximately €2.9 million per point. That placed FCA top of the ranking compiled by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, ahead of all other top-flight clubs. Only three clubs spent less money across the entire season, while fourteen invested more. This balance sheet highlights the solid work of a club that has been in the Bundesliga for over a decade.
Comparison with the competition
The direct comparison with other teams illustrates the special nature of Augsburg's achievement. SC Freiburg, for example, needed €143 million for 47 points, equating to €3 million per point. Newly promoted Hamburger SV also reached this value. At the other end of the scale is record champions Bayern Munich. The Munich side spent €881 million, almost seven times Augsburg's budget, and cost €9.9 million per point, landing them last in the efficiency table. VfL Wolfsburg, who were also relegated at a cost of €8.7 million per point, and second-from-bottom 1. FC Heidenheim complete the picture of a league with extreme financial disparities.
Current form provides grounds for optimism
The current season confirms the positive trend. Augsburg sit fourth in the table with seven points after four matchdays. Jess Thorup's team has secured three wins, one draw, and one defeat. Their goal difference of +5, with 11 scored and 6 conceded, is also positive. Top scorer is Michael Gregoritsch with three goals. The most recent match ended in a 3-2 defeat at Werder Bremen last Saturday, following a 2-2 draw against Bayer Leverkusen. The full overview of match results shows a solid starting position.
A look at the league standings reveals that FCA are just five points behind leaders Borussia Dortmund. The next major challenge awaits on October 10th. Then, Augsburg will host Bayern Munich, currently in second place, at the WWK ARENA. The last meeting between the two teams ended in a 2-1 away win for FCA in January. Against this backdrop, the club can look to the future with confidence. The economically prudent management, strengthened by the entry of Global Football Holdings with a 45% stake in the professional department in 2021, creates stable framework conditions. The team has proven it can remain competitive with comparatively modest means. Detailed performance data for all players is available in our stats overview.
Background and full detail: Augsburger Allgemeine
