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Stuttgart and Viking will kick off their Champions League league-phase campaigns on Wednesday in a meeting at the MHPArena.
The visitors got through a playoff tie with Dinamo Zagreb to reach this point, while their hosts are back on the European stage in its top competition after reaching the Europa League round of 16 last time around.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Stuttgart vs. Viking key stats
- Only three teams scored more goals than Stuttgart (15) in eight Europa League league-phase games last season.
- Stuttgart earned 39 points and scored 30 goals in 17 home Bundesliga matches in 2025-26.
- Viking have won three of their last four matches in all competitions.
- Viking are heading into their first ever Champions League league phase.
Stuttgart vs. Viking preview: Can visitors pull off upset in Germany on first-ever league-phase appearance?
Stuttgart vs. Viking — Tale of the Tape
| Stuttgart | vs | Viking |
|---|---|---|
| 9th (Bundesliga) | Position | 2nd (Eliteserien) |
| 3 | Points | 44 |
| 5 | Goals For | 43 |
| 6 | Goals Against | 19 |
| 0 | Clean Sheets | 5 |
| 4th | Home / Away Rank | 2nd |
Stuttgart will begin their continental campaign for 2026-27 on Wednesday, having earned entry straight into the Champions League league phase with a strong season last time around.
Alongside a European bid which saw them progress through the Europa League league phase and advance to the round of 16 before dropping out at the hands of Porto, Die Roten finished fourth in the Bundesliga – just their second time cracking the top four since 2009 – having earned 62 points from 34 matches with only champions Bayern Munich topping their 71-goal tally.
They have since experienced a mixed start to the new term, starting with a comfortable DFB Pokal win over Hansa Rostock before their opening two Bundesliga outings produced a dominant victory and a heavy defeat, having bounced back from a 5-1 beating at Bayern Munich by beating Koln 4-1 on Friday with Bilal El Khannouss, Grischa Promel, Ermedin Demirovic and Josha Vagnoman on the scoresheet.
Alongside striker Dzenan Pejcinovic, El Khannouss was one of Sebastian Hoeness's key pieces of summer business after his loan spell from Leicester City last year, and they have been badly hit by injuries in the early stages of the term, with Dan-Axel Zagadou, Tiago Tomas and Luca Jaquez among those set to miss out.
They will now bid to build on Friday's impressive performance and put three points on the board in their first league-phase outing.
Viking, meanwhile, arrive for their first-ever Champions League league-phase game and a first appearance beyond qualifying in Europe since the 2005-06 UEFA Cup group stage.
A memorable 2025 season put Wednesday's visitors within one two-legged tie of Europe's top competition, as they won the Norwegian Eliteserien for the ninth time in their history and first time since 1991, losing just three of their 30 games and amassing 71 points.
Dinamo Zagreb then stood between De Morkebla and the league phase, and they made no mistake last month, drawing 2-2 away and winning 3-1 to advance in a 2026 campaign which has also seen them fight at the top end of the Eliteserien in their defence, having managed 44 points from their opening 19 games to sit second and three points off top spot.
Indeed, Viking have now lost just one of their last 11 matches and gone unbeaten in their last five, most recently being left disappointed on Friday, though, having lost ground to leaders Bodo/Glimt in a 1-1 draw away at Sandefjord while only snatching that share of the points with an injury-time goal.
Likely still without Anders Baertelsen, Sondre Bjorshol, Henrik Falchener and Martin Roseth with ongoing injuries, Viking head into a historic away trip on Wednesday aiming to begin in the Champions League's league phase with three points away from home in Germany.
Stuttgart vs. Viking form guide & betting tips
| Stuttgart | vs | Viking |
|---|---|---|
WLW |
Form | DWWWD |
| 9 | Goals For | 11 |
| 6 | Goals Against | 6 |
N/A |
Champions League | DW |
Whispers predicts: Stuttgart 3-1 Viking
In the early stages of 2026-27 and looking back to late last season, Stuttgart's matches are often eventful with six of their last seven competitive games producing four or more goals and 10 of their last 11 having three or more. With the visitors having also failed to keep a clean sheet in their last seven outings, we do not envisage a low-scoring affair and fancy over 3.5 goals at 4/6 (1.67).
Stuttgart should have too much for their Norwegian hosts but have, themselves, struggled to see out clean sheets, only keeping one in their last 10 competitive matches – the cup win over third-tier Hansa Rostock. With the excitement of a first ever league-phase game and a solid attacking record of their own in recent months, we back Vikings to also get on the scoresheet in Germany, with Both Teams to Score priced at 8/13 (1.62).
The likes of Deniz Undav will understandably soak up much of the attention for Stuttgart, but given we anticipate them to have many chances against Viking with a free-flowing attack, chances could come to plenty of players. Midfielder Grischa Promel scored his first goal of the season against Koln last time out after hitting seven in the 2025-26 Bundesliga campaign, and he is priced at 11/5 (3.20) to score anytime.
> Over 3.5 goals at 4/6 (1.67) | Likelihood: Probable
> Both Teams to Score at 8/13 (1.62) | Likelihood: Probable
> Grischa Promel to score anytime at 11/5 (3.20) | Likelihood: Possible