Overview

• FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina sent a personal letter lauding Max Burda and Cristian Ballweg for calm, principled match management.
• The praise follows racist insults from spectators during first-round ties in Leipzig and Potsdam that targeted players from Schalke 04 and 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
• Both officials applied the DFB’s first step against discrimination by stopping play, ordering a stadium announcement, and supporting the affected players.
• The DFB-Kontrollausschuss has opened investigations into the episodes, with findings and potential sanctions still pending.
• FIFA president Gianni Infantino earlier condemned the abuse and said the body would monitor the cases and press for consequences, while German referees chief Knut Kircher called the praise deserved.