The winner of the DFB-Pokal earns automatic qualification for the group stage of next year's edition of the UEFA Europa League. As winners Borussia Dortmund had already qualified for the UEFA Champions League by finishing 3rd in the Bundesliga, the spot went to the team in sixth, Hertha BSC, and the league's second qualifying round spot went to the team in seventh, SC Freiburg. As winner, Dortmund also hosted the 2017 DFL-Supercup at the start of the next season, and faced the champion of the previous year's Bundesliga, Bayern Munich.