High penalties for St. Pauli and HSV: Pyro trouble at the derby!

High penalties for St. Pauli and HSV: Pyro trouble at the derby!

A hot derby between FC St. Pauli and Hamburger SV now has serious financial consequences for both clubs. How NDR Reportedly, both teams were fined heavily by the DFB due to the unsportsmanlike behavior of the supporters. FC St. Pauli has to pay 125,600 euros, while HSV gets away with 118,000 euros. This happened after the derby that took place on August 29, 2025 at the Volksparkstadion and ended with a 2-0 win for St. Pauli.

Both clubs have struggled with similar problems in the past. FC St. Pauli can now use 41,000 euros for security or violence prevention measures, although proof must be provided by June 30, 2026. In contrast, HSV is allowed to use 39,000 euros for its own measures, which underlines the seriousness of the situation.

Pyrotechnics remains a hot topic

The penalties are due to the ignition of pyrotechnic objects. The St. Pauli fans lit a total of 42 Bengal fires, 80 blinkers and even a rocket during the game, which briefly interrupted the game. The HSV annex was no less active and produced 111 pyrotechnic objects along with another rocket. According to South German newspaper These are serious violations of the DFB regulations, which have also led to high penalties in recent years.

Things are getting exciting in the discussion about pyrotechnics in football. The demands for acceptance of pyrotechnics within controlled conditions are increasing. A pilot project in Norway shows how they want to try to make the use of pyrotechnics safer. A rethink might be necessary here if you want to take a long-term approach to the matter. One of these voices comes from Anders Kjellevold, who speaks of better safety criteria. He requires fans to be over 18 years old, take part in training in advance and not be intoxicated when firing pyrotechnics.

Financial consequences for the clubs

The financial consequences are threatening the existence of many clubs. While FC St. Pauli has now received its second penalty within a short period of time - in 2024 it was 104,250 euros - HSV has not made it through the last few months unscathed either. In total, the DFB has handed out millions in fines in recent years: over seven million euros have been imposed for pyrotechnics alone; since the current year the total has added up to almost 300 proceedings and 7.4 million euros. How Sports show reports, a rethink of the current bans may be necessary keeping an eye on developments at the stadium.

The second leg between St. Pauli and HSV is already being eagerly awaited by fans. On January 23, 2026 at the Millerntor Stadium it will become clear whether the clubs have learned from their mistakes or whether pyrotechnic incidents in football will remain a “permanent” problem.