It took more than 35 minutes and even the intervention of mounted police before Waldhof Mannheim and Kaiserslautern could play extra time in their German Cup match. The “Southwest derby” of the first round of the DFB-Pokal literally spiraled out of control at the end of the 90 minutes when a fight between players set off a chain reaction in the stands, leading to the invasion of the pitch and the massive entry of law enforcement.
The tension in the Carl-Benz-Stadion was already high before the match. Waldhof Mannheim, a club in the third division, and Kaiserslautern, who play in the Zweite Bundesliga, were facing each other, two clubs separated by a very strong rivalry. And the first problems started after just three minutes: a series of smoke bombs and pyrotechnic devices were set off by the away fans, and the smoke forced referee Robert Schroder to temporarily stop the game. Objects and pyrotechnic devices were also thrown from the Mannheim stands.
What happened in Mannheim-Kaiserslautern: the occupation of the field and the mounted police
The worst, however, came after the whistle that ended regular time at 0-0. Kaiserslautern's Marlon Ritter and Mannheim's Goncalo Gregorio collided, and within seconds a massive brawl broke out around them, involving almost all the players. Just when the situation on the pitch seemed to have calmed down, it erupted in the stands.
Rockets were fired from the away fans' section towards the stands. The reaction of some Mannheim fans was immediate: some fans tried to enter the pitch. The referee sent both teams to the dressing rooms and the pitch was filled with police. The most surreal scene came a little later, with police on horseback on the stadium carpet to repel the fans and restore order. According to Bild, a flare also exploded dangerously near one of the horses.
🇩🇪 | The Südwestderby erupts into chaos as SV Waldhof Mannheim fans storm the pitch
— ULTRA ATTACKIVE (@UltraAttackive) August 21, 2026
Huge police presence on the pitch which led to the match being paused...😳🚨 pic.twitter.com/4SdjsirfQ2
For several minutes it was not even clear whether the match could continue. Mannheim captain Lukas Klunter personally tried to calm his fans, while the managers, referees and security officials assessed the situation. Finally, the final warning came from the announcer: in the event of the slightest further incident, the match would be permanently abandoned.
Thus, extra time began more than 35 minutes after the end of regular time. And after a derby that lasted a total of more than three hours, Mannheim was disappointed: in the 120th minute, Ibrahim Kanaté scored with a shot from about 18 meters, making it 0-1 and qualifying Kaiserslautern for the second round. The home fans' section was once again lit up with fireworks, but at least this time without another invasion of the pitch.
