Arrests, Injuries

“An Absolute No-Go!” Outrage After Cup Scandal

The cup match in Mannheim completely escalated.(Bild: Krone-Collage/x.com/UltraAttackive)

There is widespread outrage following the serious riots at the Southwest Derby in the DFB Cup between SV Waldhof Mannheim and 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Both clubs face consequences. “This is an absolute no-go; it’s completely unacceptable,” railed Kaiserslautern’s general manager, Thomas Hengen.

The German Football Association (DFB) announced a comprehensive investigation into the incidents. According to police reports, 35 officers were injured and several soccer fans were taken into custody. A total of 85 people required medical attention, and eight of them were taken to the hospital for further treatment. According to a police spokeswoman, based on current information, the injuries treated were minor.

The DFB had already responded to the riots immediately after the game. “The German Football Association will evaluate the reports and forward them to the relevant committees,” the organization said in a statement on Instagram. There is no place in soccer for behavior that jeopardizes safety. “The special report will be correspondingly long,” referee Robert Schröder told Sky.

According to the organizer, approximately 23,500 spectators attended the sold-out Carl-Benz-Stadion in Mannheim on Friday evening, including about 3,500 visiting fans. The two fan bases have been rivals since the early 1980s and once again engaged in a heated showdown in the stands—complete with pyrotechnics, fireworks, and elaborate choreographed displays.

Fans storm the field
After 90 scoreless minutes, the situation escalated when, following a scuffle among the players on the field, some FCK supporters fired fireworks into the seating area. As a result, Mannheim fans stormed the field. Police officers —some of them on horseback—had to intervene to bring the situation back under control. 

At times, the match was in danger of being called off. The kickoff for extra time had to be briefly postponed due to the riots, but things remained calm after play resumed. Later, the fire department extinguished a fire set by FCK fans in the visiting supporters’ section.

Both clubs condemn the rioters
Lautern’s general manager, Thomas Hengen, spoke out strongly about the events. “This is a derby; emotions run high, but things like this must not get out of hand. It hurts us, it hurts everyone, it hurts soccer,” the former pro told Sky. In his view, the police intervention and the referee team’s prudent handling of the situation were crucial in preventing the game from being called off. On the field, however, it was a fair derby.

“This is a derby; emotions run high, but things like this must not get out of hand. It hurts us, it hurts everyone, and it hurts soccer.”

Lauterns Geschäftsführer Thomas Hengen

Waldhof Managing Director Gerhard Zuber said he could have seen the game being called off. “When flares are fired into the family section, that’s crossing the line. At some point, you have to be firm and maybe not let the game continue,” he said.

Golden Goal in the 120th Minute
In the end, Kaiserslautern won the game 1–0 (0–0) in extra time. Ibrahim Kanate scored the decisive goal for the second-division team in the 120th minute, just moments before a potential penalty shootout.