Belgium's Euro 2024 qualifier against Sweden was suspended at half-time and subsequently abandoned after a fatal shooting in Brussels on Monday evening. Two Swedish nationals were killed in the attack, which prompted Belgium to raise its terror alert to the highest level.
UEFA confirmed the abandonment in a statement, citing a suspected terrorist attack. The match was level at 1-1 at the time of suspension, with Viktor Gyökeres scoring for Sweden and Romelu Lukaku equalising for Belgium. Both teams informed UEFA they did not wish to play the second half.
Sweden's manager Janne Andersson said the team unanimously agreed not to continue out of respect for the victims and their families. Swedish reporters at the game said they had been informed of the attack just before the national anthems were played.
Swedish supporters were asked to remain in the stadium for safety reasons, with authorities arranging secure escorts. One fan, Pernilla Califf, described the atmosphere as 'really unpleasant', noting that fans were removing their Swedish shirts and changing into neutral clothing.
Belgium had already qualified for the finals in Germany, while Sweden's hopes of qualification were ended by Austria's win earlier on Monday. Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo confirmed the victims were Swedish and offered condolences, stating that the fight against terrorism is a joint effort.
UEFA said it would make a further announcement in due course.
