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UEFA Nations League: UEFA Statement

UEFA Nations League: UEFA Statement

Posted by Team England at 14:31 on Tuesday 30 January 2018

UEFA has today issued the following statement regarding England's UEFA Nations League fixture against Croatia on Friday 12 October 2018

UEFA can confirm that the UEFA Nations League group stage match between Croatia and England scheduled for 12 October 2018 will be played behind closed doors. This relates back to a decision taken by the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on 23 July 2015 which ordered the Croatian Football Federation (HNS) to play its next two home matches in UEFA competition without supporters in the stadium.

Gareth Southgate's team kick-off their UEFA Nations League campaign with a home match against Spain on Saturday 8 September with the first away match of the campaign against Croatia the following month. 

The decision to play the match behind closed doors has been made by UEFA who advised us today. Further information will be provided on their website here as it is confirmed.

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  • not much help now - should have stated this in the first instance (and prior to the draw) as the majority of England fans already have their travel booked including onward to mainland spain

  • Oh my!

  • When were the FA made aware this (closed doors match) was a possibility?

  • After the qualifier against Italy, Croatia played the following competitive home matches behind closed doors :-

    10.10.15  EuroQual  v  Bulgaria

    5.9.16  WCQual  v  Turkey

    12.11.16  WCQual  v  Iceland

    Since then, they have played 3 competitive matches before crowds:  v  Ukraine, Kosovo and Finland.

    So how come none of the recent matches were behind closed doors but, all of a sudden, it's our match which gets chosen to be dumped. Come on, FA !  This is time to stand up for the fans. If they were going to choose the next Nations League match to impose disciplinary measures they should have made this clear at the time of the Nations League group draw. Many of us have already shelled out for flights and accommodation on a non-refundable basis.

    FA, if you can't get the UEFA decision overruled, then can you identify all those ESTC members who have already booked their flights and induct them into the official FA delegation. (I'm assuming the FA are allowed a delegation into the ground.)

  • What a shambles

  • Complete shambles.  Booked flights to Croatia and then from Zagreb to Spain.  

  • The anoucement was made on the 23rd July 2015 on the UEFA website.  There was no update when the draw was made, nor any subsequent information.  I know people that called england fans today and was told the game was on.  I saw an email from the croatian ticket officer which said the game was behind close doors (no date on it).  I then saw an email from the associated press confirming that the game was off.  I called the FA, and was told that they were in touch with UEFA.  Then the annoucment was put on.  I have spoken with the FsF, and I have a screenshot from our own FA which confirmed the games.  

    I must say this has been a public relations mess up if i have ever seen one.  Knowing the FA they wont reinburse fans, however i hope the lads and lasses have a great time in zagreb, i can recomend a few bars

  • The anoucement was made on the 23rd July 2015 on the UEFA website.  There was no update when the draw was made, nor any subsequent information.  I know people that called england fans today and was told the game was on.  I saw an email from the croatian ticket officer which said the game was behind close doors (no date on it).  I then saw an email from the associated press confirming that the game was off.  I called the FA, and was told that they were in touch with UEFA.  Then the annoucment was put on.  I have spoken with the FsF, and I have a screenshot from our own FA which confirmed the games.  

    I must say this has been a public relations mess up if i have ever seen one.  Knowing the FA they wont reinburse fans, however i hope the lads and lasses have a great time in zagreb, i can recomend a few bars

  • Flights booked...Surely the FA knew about this as soon as the draw was made.  What a joke...

  • Flights booked...Surely the FA knew about this as soon as the draw was made.  What a joke...

  • The Fan let down yet again!!

  • Probably still go anyway. Guessing it will be in Zagreb still.

  • I stand to lose £260 if I abandon my flight to Zagreb and onward flight to Madrid. Add on the cost of a new ticket from England to Spain and you're talking £350+

    Surely UEFA can't reasonably expect football fans to be up to date about a disciplinary ruling made in 2015 concerning another country's team. They should have stated at the time they published the fixture list that this match was to be behind closed doors. Having not done so, they have a moral duty to the fans to find an equitable route out of this mess. Come on, FA. Fight our corner !

  • I don't think there can be much blame put on the FA to be fair. Perhaps if they were aware of the situation and were asking the questions then they could have said something but if they don't know how can they be accountable. Where the blame should lie is with UEFA / Croatian FA who should have made this clear before the draw. Feel for those that have booked flights already.

  • Why has this been announced after the draw and after a period of time when fans have paid out on flights and accommodation.

    England supporters club will pass the buck but they owe us to pose the question to UEFA and the Croatian FA

    Disgraceful