Waldhof Mannheim have been handed a partial spectator ban and a €100,000 fine after the DFB ruled on the disorder in their first-round cup tie against 1. FC Kaiserslautern. The sports court also suspended another match on probation until the end of 2028.
The punishment handed down
The DFB said the incidents in Mannheim had crossed a line. Thomas Bergmann, the DFB vice-president for legal affairs, told SPORT1: "The incidents in Mannheim have crossed a line far beyond what is acceptable, and it has nothing even remotely to do with fandom and fan culture. When rockets are fired at the pitch and at emergency services, when people injure other people, we must act consistently."
He also called the ban "a clear signal".
The club's upcoming third-division home match against TSG Hoffenheim II on 25 October will be played without parts of the home crowd present. That is the immediate sporting consequence, and the suspended sanction now hangs over the club until the end of 2028.
The derby itself was not treated as an isolated flare-up. SPORT1 said the sports court cited four cases of unsporting behaviour by Mannheim supporters in the first-round match on 21 August, with two of those cases linked to insufficient stewarding. The same report said 35 police officers were slightly injured and 85 fans needed medical treatment, with eight taken to hospital.
Mannheim's recent cup record is not the point of the ruling, but it does show how often they have been in this competition. They have played four DFB Pokal matches in that stretch and won one of them. The DFB's response leaves the club dealing with a fine, a partial ban and the prospect of another punishment if there is a further breach before 2028.
Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
