Reaching a significant milestone: after approximately 90 years. - Lok aims to duplicate Schalke's success, following an gap of nearly 90 years.
The Regionalliga football team Lok Leipzig will face the second division side Schalke 04 in the DFB-Pokal duel, scheduled for Sunday at 3:30 PM. The match will be broadcast on Sky.
The history of DFB-Pokal encounters between Lok Leipzig and Schalke 04 is limited, but a notable recent meeting occurred in the 2025-2026 season where Schalke 04 defeated Lok Leipzig 1-0 in the first round of the DFB-Pokal. This match attracted attention not only for the sporting outcome but also for serious disciplinary issues involving racist insults directed at Schalke players by Lok Leipzig fans.
The match will take place at the Bruno-Plache-Stadion, with costs for making the stadium fit for the DFB-Pokal in the low six-figure range. The first time Leipzig defeated Schalke was in a cup final on January 3, 1937, with a score of 2:1.
Lok Leipzig’s coach Jochen Seitz, a former Schalke player, has urged his team to quickly overcome their nerves. Lok striker Djamal Ziane has announced that the team is eager for the match and wants to try to pull off an upset. A win for Lok Leipzig would be good for the club's finances, with the first-round prize for the DFB-Pokal being 211,886 euros, and progression in the tournament would earn them an additional 423,772 euros.
Jochen Seitz led Lok to the Regionalliga championship and Sachsenpokal victory last season, and Djamal Ziane emphasized that Lok will try to play disciplined and need to have a very good day. Progression in the DFB-Pokal would not only be a financial boost for the club but also a significant achievement for the team under the leadership of Jochen Seitz.
A video of highlights from the 2025 encounter is available, showing moments from the DFB-Pokal clash. Fans can watch the upcoming duel between Lok Leipzig and Schalke 04 live on Sky, with the match promising to be an exciting and potentially historic event in the DFB-Pokal.
The Commission has also been informed of the results of the evaluation of Lok Leipzig's sports programme, focusing particularly on the European football leagues, given their upcoming challenge against Schalke 04 in the DFB-Pokal. In the 2025-2026 season, a significant DFB-Pokal encounter between the two teams took place, marked by disciplinary issues involving racist insults.
