adminEngland’s upcoming Nations League meeting with Croatia will officially be played behind closed doors, but a small group of Three Lions supporters will still be allowed inside the stadium because of a special arrangement involving UEFA.
Thomas Tuchel’s England are scheduled to face Croatia at the Stadion HNK Rijeka on Saturday, October 3, with Croatia serving a UEFA spectator ban following disciplinary issues involving supporters during their Nations League quarter-final against France last year.
The punishment was imposed after incidents involving racist and discriminatory behaviour, with fireworks also among the offences recorded during Croatia’s previous fixture.
However, the phrase “behind closed doors” will not mean that the stadium is completely empty.
Following discussions between the Football Association and UEFA, 100 England Supporters Travel Club members have been granted complimentary tickets for the match. The selected supporters are understood to be among England’s most experienced travelling fans.
The England Supporters Travel Club confirmed that the small delegation had been permitted to attend despite the UEFA sanction.
Why Can Children Attend?
There is another little-known provision within UEFA’s disciplinary regulations that means thousands of youngsters can also be present.
Article 73 allows children aged 14 or under from schools and football academies to attend a match free of charge when a stadium is subject to a behind-closed-doors punishment, provided they are properly accompanied.
As a result, around 5,500 to 6,000 Croatian children are expected to attend the game, meaning the 8,279-capacity stadium could be roughly three-quarters full despite the official spectator ban.
The regulation also permits certain other categories of people to enter, including team delegations, accredited media, security personnel, UEFA representatives and individuals required for stadium or match operations.
Tuchel Welcomes England Supporters
England manager Thomas Tuchel has acknowledged the unusual situation ahead of the fixture.
The German coach said he was pleased that children would have the opportunity to experience the international match and also welcomed the presence of England’s loyal supporters.
Tuchel also recognised that the atmosphere will be different without a traditional football crowd, warning his players that the unusual surroundings could make the fixture feel less intense than a normal international.
Nevertheless, he stressed that England must remain focused because the match remains an important Nations League fixture.
The selected England supporters will therefore have a rare opportunity to watch their team from inside a stadium officially designated for a behind-closed-doors fixture.
Rather than thousands of travelling fans filling the away end, only a small group will be permitted to represent the travelling support.
The unusual arrangement highlights the various exemptions within UEFA’s disciplinary regulations and means Saturday’s Croatia-England encounter will look very different from a conventional international match.
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