Elversberg, a German town of 13,000 people with no railway station, will make its first Bundesliga appearance after a rapid rise from the regional leagues. The club’s debut is significant because it has achieved three promotions in five years without the financial backing often associated with fast-growing teams, although survival is expected to be difficult.

The club’s strategy has focused on identifying and developing young players, previously led by former sporting director Ole Book, whose work earned him a move to Borussia Dortmund. Elversberg’s stadium is being expanded to 15,000 seats—2,000 more than the town’s population—and the team will begin its Bundesliga campaign against Bayer Leverkusen before facing major clubs including Bayern Munich and Dortmund.