Why is Croatia v England behind closed doors?
BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team explains why England's Nations League match in Croatia is being played in front of a reduced capacity.
The upcoming England versus Croatia match in the Nations League on Saturday will be played with a restricted attendance at Stadion Riejka in Rijeka. This decision comes after incidents involving Croatia fans during a March 2025 Nations League match against France. Seven Croatia supporters were arrested for allegedly making Nazi salutes and setting off fireworks in their section of the Stade de France, leading to their release due to insufficient evidence.
Moreover, Croatia was not permitted to bring traveling supporters during their 2-1 win against the Czech Republic last Saturday. Despite the closed-door restrictions, between 3,000 and 6,000 Croatian schoolchildren have been granted permission to attend the match. Initially, English fans were barred from attending the game, but following conversations with UEFA and England, they were later permitted to enjoy 100 complimentary tickets.
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- Why is Croatia v England behind closed doors? sports.yahoo.com
