England v Croatia in Rijeka to be played behind closed doors after fan disturbances
October 1, 2026 19:10
England's Nations League match against Croatia in Rijeka will be played behind closed doors, with only a reduced number of spectators permitted to attend. The fixture takes place at Stadion Riejka.
WHY IT IS BEING HELD WITH A REDUCED CROWD
UEFA imposed the limited capacity because of crowd disturbances involving Croatia supporters during a Nations League match against France in March 2025. During that game at the Stade de France, Croatia fans in their section set off fireworks and seven people were taken into custody on suspicion of making Nazi salutes. Those seven were later released without prosecution because of a lack of evidence.
ADDITIONAL CONTEXT
Croatia were also prohibited from having travelling supporters for their 2-1 win in the Czech Republic last Saturday.
WHO WILL BE ALLOWED IN
Although officially behind closed doors, the match will not be completely empty. Between 3,000 and 6,000 Croatian schoolchildren have been permitted to attend at Stadion Riejka. England supporters were initially not allowed, but following discussions with Uefa and England, the Three Lions were later permitted to have 100 complimentary tickets for their fans.
HISTORICAL NOTE
The same venue hosted an England–Croatia match played behind closed doors in October 2018, which finished 0-0.