diff --git a/modules/coordinator/src/main/scala/de/nowchess/coordinator/service/FailoverService.scala b/modules/coordinator/src/main/scala/de/nowchess/coordinator/service/FailoverService.scala
index fedc7ff..2bab61f 100644
--- a/modules/coordinator/src/main/scala/de/nowchess/coordinator/service/FailoverService.scala
+++ b/modules/coordinator/src/main/scala/de/nowchess/coordinator/service/FailoverService.scala
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package de.nowchess.coordinator.service
 
 import jakarta.enterprise.context.ApplicationScoped
+import jakarta.enterprise.inject.Instance
 import jakarta.inject.Inject
 import io.quarkus.redis.datasource.RedisDataSource
 import scala.jdk.CollectionConverters.*
@@ -9,6 +10,7 @@ import org.jboss.logging.Logger
 import de.nowchess.coordinator.dto.InstanceMetadata
 import de.nowchess.coordinator.grpc.CoreGrpcClient
 import de.nowchess.coordinator.config.CoordinatorConfig
+import io.fabric8.kubernetes.client.KubernetesClient
 import io.smallrye.mutiny.Uni
 import java.time.Duration
 
@@ -27,10 +29,17 @@ class FailoverService:
   @Inject
   private var config: CoordinatorConfig = uninitialized
 
+  @Inject
+  private var kubeClientInstance: Instance[KubernetesClient] = uninitialized
+
   private val log         = Logger.getLogger(classOf[FailoverService])
   private var redisPrefix = "nowchess"
   // scalafix:on DisableSyntax.var
 
+  private def kubeClientOpt: Option[KubernetesClient] =
+    if kubeClientInstance.isUnsatisfied then None
+    else Some(kubeClientInstance.get())
+
   def setRedisPrefix(prefix: String): Unit =
     redisPrefix = prefix
 
@@ -39,6 +48,7 @@ class FailoverService:
 
     val startTime = System.currentTimeMillis()
     instanceRegistry.markInstanceDead(instanceId)
+    deleteK8sPod(instanceId)
 
     val gameIds = getOrphanedGames(instanceId)
     log.infof("Found %d orphaned games for instance %s", gameIds.size, instanceId)
@@ -129,6 +139,31 @@ class FailoverService:
       case ex: Exception =>
         log.errorf(ex, "Failed to update game instance mappings")
 
+  private def deleteK8sPod(instanceId: String): Unit =
+    kubeClientOpt match
+      case None =>
+        log.debugf("Kubernetes client not available, skipping pod deletion for %s", instanceId)
+      case Some(kube) =>
+        try
+          val pods = kube
+            .pods()
+            .inNamespace(config.k8sNamespace)
+            .withLabel(config.k8sRolloutLabelSelector)
+            .list()
+            .getItems
+            .asScala
+
+          pods.find(pod => instanceId.contains(pod.getMetadata.getName)) match
+            case Some(pod) =>
+              val podName = pod.getMetadata.getName
+              kube.pods().inNamespace(config.k8sNamespace).withName(podName).withGracePeriod(0L).delete()
+              log.infof("Force-deleted pod %s for dead instance %s", podName, instanceId)
+            case None =>
+              log.debugf("No pod found for instance %s, skipping deletion", instanceId)
+        catch
+          case ex: Exception =>
+            log.errorf(ex, "Failed to delete pod for instance %s", instanceId)
+
   private def cleanupDeadInstance(instanceId: String): Unit =
     val setKey = s"$redisPrefix:instance:$instanceId:games"
     redis.key(classOf[String]).del(setKey)