120 injured together with 35 cops in on-pitch hooligan battle that noticed away finish set alight
Clashes between rival fans in Germany left 120 people needing treatment for injuries, including 35 cops in shocking scenes that saw fires started in the stadium
Supporters clashed between the two German rivals
A brutal football hooligan clash left more than 100 people injured including 35 police officers, in what cops called an “explosive encounter”.
The game, which took place in the first round of the German domestic cup and was between local rivals SV Waldhof Mannheim and 1. FC Kaiserslautern yesterday, exploded into fierce violence that saw cups and flares chucked between fans and a terrifying pitch invasion by Mannheim-supporting thugs.
To make matters worse, the travelling Kaiserslautern fans retaliated by setting fire to a display that their fans had brought into the stadium for the match, which led to a team of firefighters needing to put out the blaze.
The game had to be halted because of the violent scenes
In total, 85 fans required medical attention, with several still remaining in hospital, while 35 police officers were also injured in the shocking on-pitch skirmish.
The match finished 1-0 after Kaiserslautern’s Ibrahim Kanate scored a winner deep in extra-time.
A police spokesperson wrote: “On August 21, 2026, at 6 p.m., the DFB Cup derby between SV Waldhof Mannheim and 1. FC Kaiserslautern took place in the sold-out Carl-Benz-Stadium in Mannheim. According to the organizers, around 23,500 spectators attended the match, including approximately 3,500 away fans.
Thousands of cops were in attendance
The intensive preparation by all participating institutions and the close cooperation of all involved have paid off. Our tactical concept worked perfectly,”
“A total of approximately 1,400 police officers were deployed. In addition to the Mannheim Police Headquarters’ own forces, colleagues from the Operational Support Unit at various locations, as well as police forces from Rhineland-Palatinate, Bavaria, and the Federal Police, were also involved in the operation.”
“33 federal police officers and two police officers from Baden-Württemberg have sustained minor injuries.”
More than 100 people were injured at the game
The rivalry between the two clubs dates back to 1983, when Mannheim reached the German top flight.
With their own ground deemed unsuitable, the side elected to move their home matches across the Rhine to Ludwigshafen, a region that Kaiserslautern considered part of its traditional support base.
Club officials viewed the move as an invasion, with club president Udo Sopp reportedly branding it a “declaration of war”.
The away end was set alight
The dispute soon spread to the terraces as the nearby clubs battled for supporters and local bragging rights, with hooligan firms at the two sides often seeking each other out for bouts of extreme violence.
