The UEFA Nations League group stage match between Croatia and England will kick off at 5pm this evening (Saturday, October 3) at the Stadion Rujevica in Rijeka. UEFA officials ordered the fixture to be played entirely behind closed doors as a direct disciplinary consequence of crowd trouble during a previous international break.
Reason for the ban
The specific punishment directly traces back to incidents that occurred during the Croatian national team's Nations League quarter-final matches against France in March 2025. During those fixtures, several episodes involving racism and discriminatory behaviour from the stands were officially reported by the attending match delegates. Along with the ban, UEFA fined Croatia £79,000 and instructed them to cover the costs of repairs after fans caused damage to the Stade de France in the return leg.
One-match home stadium ban
Following a thorough review of the submitted evidence, the European governing body ultimately decided to hand down a one-match home stadium ban to the Croatian Football Federation. Because this weekend's clash is their very first home fixture in a recognised UEFA competition since the ruling was finalised, the Rijeka-based arena will remain partially empty. Essential personnel, coaching staff, and media representatives will be permitted entry.
Travel ban on away supporters
The regulatory committee went one step further by simultaneously implementing a separate one-match travel ban on away supporters following the national side. This specific mandate ensures that no travelling supporters will be permitted to attend their next scheduled away fixture in the tournament.
Complimentary tickets for England fans
Following discussions between England and UEFA, the Three Lions were given 100 complimentary tickets. In a statement, the official England Supporters Travel Club said: "We're pleased to confirm that, following discussions with UEFA, a small delegation of England Supporters Travel Club members will be permitted to attend England's UEFA Nations League fixture against Croatia on Saturday, October 3. The match will be played behind closed doors following a UEFA sanction against Croatia. However, we have been granted permission to allocate 100 complimentary tickets to active 2026-2028 England Supporters Travel Club members, giving a small number of our supporters the opportunity to attend the fixture."
