Borussia Dortmund on Thursday announced the appointment of Niko Kovac as new head coach after the sacking of Nuri Sahin last week, Afrosport reports.
The Croatian takes over from Sahin, who was fired following a poor start to 2025, with assistant coach Mike Tullberg overseeing their last two games in an interim capacity.
Kovac, who led Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title as well as the German Cup in the 2018-19 season, has signed a contract at Signal Iduna Park until 2026.
“All those responsible at BVB gave us a very good feeling during the talks, so I am convinced that we can achieve a lot together in the future,” Kovac said in a statement.
“The most important thing for all of us now is to have absolute determination, a big heart and the willingness to work hard to represent Borussia Dortmund in the best possible way in the Bundesliga, the Champions League and at the Club World Cup in the summer.
“We are tackling this challenge with determination and focus.”
Welcome, Niko! ✍️
Borussia Dortmund has appointed Niko Kovač as their new head coach. The 53-year-old, born in Berlin, has signed a contract with BVB until June 30, 2026, and will officially take charge next Sunday after the club’s Bundesliga match against Heidenheim. pic.twitter.com/O6hPBoCxn2
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) January 30, 2025
The 53-year-old has been out of work since leaving Bundesliga side Wolfsburg in March 2024, and Dortmund becomes his fifth managerial appointment at club level, having also previously coached Eintracht Frankfurt and Ligue 1 Monaco.
Kovac will be joined by his brother Robert, who previously played for Dortmund, as well as Filip Tapalovic as assistant coaches.
Dortmund currently sits 11th in the Bundesliga standings with 26 points, six points from top four. They are, however, through to the Champions League knockout phase play-offs and will face one of Sporting or Club Brugge in a two-legged tie in February.
Kovac will begin his reign at Dortmund on Sunday, a day after their Bundesliga match against 16th-placed Heidenheim, and the club announce that he would be unveiled at a press conference next week.
