News blog about 1. FC Cologne
Half a million cracked: DFB imposes a hefty penalty on FC
Updated March 25, 2026 – 5:02 p.mReading time: 29 minutes
1. FC Köln is fighting to stay in the Bundesliga. In the news blog on t-online you will find all the important news about the Geißbockheim.
Due to the use of pyrotechnic objects in the home game against FC Bayern Munich, the DFB has… 1. FC Cologne sentenced to a fine of 220,000 euros. At least 100 Bengal fires and ten smoke devices are said to have been lit during the Bundesliga game on January 14th.
Each pyrotechnic item is penalized with 1,000 euros. Since the game was interrupted for more than five minutes due to smoke, the 110,000 euros will be doubled to 220,000 euros in accordance with DFB regulations. In total, the DFB has already imposed 16 penalties against the Billy Goats this season due to fan misconduct. The complete sum amounts to 586,000 euros.
If René Wagner is successful as head coach of 1. FC Köln, he will meet his former sponsor Steffen Baumgart on matchday 32. Wagner and Baumgart worked together in Paderborn, Cologne, Hamburg and Berlin between 2020 and 2025 before Wagner moved back to 1. FC Köln.
Now the 37-year-old has been promoted to head coach as Lukas Kwasniok’s successor – and Baumgart was one of the first to congratulate him. “We spoke on the phone,” Wagner reported on Tuesday. “Steffen told me to stay with myself. He’s known me long enough now.”
Baumgart warned him that Wagner would have to make more unpleasant decisions as head coach than in his position as assistant coach. “He said that my new role will open up a few different subject areas. There are one or two topics that I have had to work on that I didn’t have to worry about before,” said Wagner.
If Wagner successfully completes the first tests in his new role, he could see Baumgart again on the first weekend in May at the Alte Försterei. But first the billy goats hope that Wagner will achieve their first victories since January against Frankfurt and Bremen.
After the dismissal of Lukas Kwasniok, 1. FC Köln expanded the coaching team on Monday to include interim coach René Wagner. The Billy Goats announced the signing of Armin Reutershahn. The 66-year-old is a Bundesliga veteran and will use his experience to support the 37-year-old Wagner.
