Protesters about the Bundesliga schedule, causing the Augsburg vs Union Berlin match to stop.

JAKARTA - Toy balls and other objects flew onto the field in the Augsburg vs Union Berlin match on Friday, January 16, 2026, early in the morning WIB. The action was a form of protest by fans against the Bundesliga schedule.

The objects were thrown from the stands when the ball went out behind the Augsburg goal in the 32nd minute. As a result, the match was stopped for five minutes. The players, substitutes, and staff all helped clean up the field before the match could continue in the 37th minute.

Supporters displayed two banners protesting the decision for the rare midweek match. They called for more matches to be played on Saturday afternoon slots, as is the traditional schedule.

With 18 teams and 34 matches a season, midweek games are less frequent in the Bundesliga than in other major European leagues.

The match on Thursday, January 15, 2026, German time, is the result of the league's TV broadcast contract, which started this season, so it requires five different kick-off times for each round of matches.

German news agency Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) reported that this week's midweek round of matches also had early and late schedules on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Augsburg vs Union Berlin match ended in a 1-1 draw after the visiting team scored the equalizer in injury time.