England’s Nations League meeting with Croatia in Rijeka will technically be played behind closed doors, but the match is still expected to have thousands of young spectators inside the stadium.
UEFA’s disciplinary ruling prevents Croatia from admitting its usual supporters for the fixture following crowd disturbances surrounding the country’s match against France in Paris last year.
However, UEFA regulations allow children under the age of 14 to attend matches being played without supporters, provided they are accompanied by adults.
Around 3,000 Schoolchildren Expected at Rijeka Stadium
The Croatian Football Federation has been preparing to use that provision by inviting schoolchildren from the surrounding area.
Around 3,000 children were expected to attend under the plans in place last week, with teachers and parents accompanying them to the 8,200-capacity HNK Rijeka Stadium.
The arrangement means Thomas Tuchel’s England side will encounter a considerably different atmosphere from a conventional behind-closed-doors fixture.
UEFA Punishment Follows Paris Crowd Trouble
Croatia’s stadium restriction stems from incidents surrounding their defeat by France in Paris last year.
Seven Croatian supporters were arrested before the match after allegedly performing Nazi salutes while travelling toward the Stade de France. They were subsequently released without charge.
Authorities also reportedly discovered batons, sharp wooden sticks and smoke bombs among Croatian supporters inside the stadium.
UEFA responded with a punishment requiring Croatia to play a home match without supporters.
Croatia Already Served Part of the Ban
The disciplinary measure was not introduced specifically for the England fixture.
Croatia’s first home match affected by the punishment was followed by another restriction that prevented Croatian supporters from attending their team‘s 2-1 victory over the Czech Republic in Prague on Saturday.
The England match therefore represents another unusual setting created by the UEFA sanction.
A Limited Number of England Fans Can Attend
Although ordinary Croatian supporters are excluded, the Football Association has obtained 100 tickets for England followers.
The tickets were allocated to supporters with the highest number of away caps, allowing a small group of England fans to travel to Rijeka and watch Tuchel’s team in person.
Their presence will provide England with some travelling support despite the restrictions surrounding the fixture.
UEFA Rules Allow Young Fans Into Closed-Door Games
UEFA’s regulations provide an exception to the normal meaning of a behind-closed-doors punishment.
Children aged under 14 can be admitted free of charge, with accompanying adults allowed to attend under the relevant arrangements.
UEFA rules also permit certain affiliate partners with complimentary tickets to attend. In addition, each participating team can have a maximum of 20 VIP guests inside the stadium.
As a result, the fixture can have a significant number of people in the stands without technically breaching the supporters’ ban.
England Prepare for a Different Matchday Atmosphere
For England, the presence of thousands of schoolchildren is likely to make the matchday experience markedly different from the empty-stadium environment normally associated with UEFA sanctions.
The Croatian FA’s plans provide a way for the stadium to retain an audience while complying with the disciplinary ruling imposed after the incidents in Paris.
The HNK Rijeka Stadium holds approximately 8,200 spectators, meaning the planned school attendance would occupy a substantial portion of the venue.
Nico O’Reilly Returns to Manchester City
England have also had a squad development to contend with ahead of the Croatia fixture.
Nico O’Reilly has returned to Manchester City after an injury ruled him out of England’s victory over the Czech Republic on Tuesday.
His absence leaves Tuchel assessing his available options as preparations continue for the Nations League encounter in Rijeka.
England Face Croatia Under Unusual Circumstances
The match will therefore combine a UEFA disciplinary sanction with an unusual exception allowing young local spectators to attend.
While Croatian supporters will remain barred from the stadium, thousands of schoolchildren, accompanying adults, selected guests and a small contingent of England supporters are expected to create a very different atmosphere from the completely empty stands initially associated with the punishment.
