How Little-Known UEFA Rule Will Let 100 England Fans Into Behind-Closed-Doors Croatia Clash
England’s Nations League clash with Croatia will officially be played behind closed doors, but a little-known UEFA regulation means the Stadion HNK Rijeka will still have thousands of people inside.
Thomas Tuchel’s side are due to face Croatia in Rijeka on Saturday 3 October, with England looking to build on their 2-0 victory over Czechia in Prague.
Ordinarily, a UEFA match described as being played behind closed doors would mean supporters are completely excluded from the stadium.
However, Croatia’s punishment does not mean that every seat at the 8,279-capacity venue will remain empty.
A specific provision in UEFA’s disciplinary regulations allows certain groups to attend despite a stadium closure, including children aged 14 or under who are invited by schools or football academies.
That exception is expected to result in around 5,500 to 6,000 children being present for the match, accompanied by carers.
There will also be a small number of England supporters inside the stadium after the Football Association reached an agreement with UEFA.
Why is Croatia vs England being played behind closed doors?
Croatia were handed a one-match stadium closure by UEFA following incidents during their Nations League quarter-final against France last year.
Several supporters were accused of making Nazi salutes during the match and were subsequently taken into custody by French authorities.
They were later released without prosecution after authorities said there was insufficient video evidence to proceed.
There were also reports of Croatia supporters setting off fireworks in the away section of the Stade de France.
UEFA subsequently imposed a sanction that means Croatia cannot welcome their supporters into the stadium for the England fixture.
As a result, the match is officially classified as being played behind closed doors.
That would normally create an unusual atmosphere inside the ground, with the home side having no traditional support from the stands.
But UEFA’s regulations contain several exemptions that mean the stadium will not actually be completely empty.
100 England supporters will be allowed in
Despite the behind-closed-doors punishment, 100 England supporters will have the opportunity to watch the game in person.
The England Supporters Travel Club confirmed that discussions with UEFA had resulted in permission for a small delegation of supporters to attend.
In a statement, the supporters’ organisation 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 3 October.”
The organisation explained that the fixture remains behind closed doors because of the UEFA sanction against Croatia, but 100 complimentary tickets have been made available to active 2026-2028 England Supporters Travel Club members.
That means England will have at least a small group of travelling supporters inside the stadium despite the unusual circumstances surrounding the match.
For those 100 fans, it will be a rare opportunity to watch an England competitive fixture that most supporters will only be able to follow remotely.
The UEFA rule allowing thousands of children into the stadium
The biggest surprise, however, is the number of children who are expected to attend.
Article 73 of UEFA’s disciplinary regulations provides an exception to stadium closures for children aged 14 or under who are invited to matches by schools or football academies.
The regulation states that children up to the age of 14, when duly accompanied, can attend if they have been invited to the match free of charge.
That provision means the Croatia-England fixture can still have a substantial number of spectators despite the disciplinary sanction.
Around 5,500 to 6,000 children are expected to attend the match, together with their carers.
Considering the Stadion HNK Rijeka has a capacity of around 8,279, that would mean a significant proportion of the stadium could still be occupied.
In other words, England’s players will not walk out into a completely empty ground.
Instead, they are expected to play in front of a crowd dominated by children and accompanying adults, alongside the limited number of permitted officials, staff, media and supporters.
Who else can attend?
UEFA’s disciplinary regulations also set out a number of other categories of people who can enter the stadium during a behind-closed-doors fixture.
The permitted groups include a maximum of 200 people holding Category 1 tickets from the visiting club or association, as well as up to 20 VIP guests for each club or association.
There can also be up to 55 people per team delegation, including the players.
Accredited broadcast staff and media personnel, such as journalists and photographers, are also permitted to attend because they are required to carry out their professional duties.
Police officers and security personnel with specific responsibilities for the match are also allowed inside.
People responsible for the stadium infrastructure can enter too.
That includes groundskeepers and staff dealing with lighting, signage and other essential stadium operations.
Those involved in matchday functions, including ball kids and children taking part in the pre-match ceremony, can also be present, along with their chaperones.
UEFA itself can have up to 75 representatives carrying out official functions at the match.
People from UEFA and its partners holding complimentary tickets are also included in the exemptions.
And, most significantly for the atmosphere inside the stadium, children aged 14 or under from invited schools or football academies can attend free of charge when properly accompanied.
What will the atmosphere be like?
The unusual crowd could create a very different atmosphere from a normal Nations League fixture.
Croatia will not have their usual home support behind them, while England will have only a small group of travelling supporters.
Instead, thousands of children are expected to occupy much of the available seating.
That could make the match feel very different for both teams.
For England, it means the players will still have some supporters to acknowledge when they walk onto the pitch.
The 100 England fans will form a tiny but significant travelling contingent, particularly given the restrictions placed on the fixture.
The presence of thousands of children also means the stadium should not have the eerie silence normally associated with a completely empty football ground.
England looking to continue their winning run
The unusual setting comes at a time when England will be looking to maintain their momentum.
Tuchel’s team head into the Croatia match after beating Czechia 2-0 in Prague.
Anthony Gordon opened the scoring with a header after Trent Alexander-Arnold supplied the cross, before Harry Kane added England’s second goal in the second half.
Gordon has also emerged as an increasingly important attacking option for England, having scored in three consecutive internationals according to the supplied report.
The victory over Czechia followed England’s 3-2 defeat to Spain, meaning the Croatia fixture provides another opportunity for Tuchel’s side to respond positively and collect another result in the Nations League campaign.
Croatia, meanwhile, will be attempting to make the most of home advantage despite the lack of their traditional supporters.
The absence of a normal home crowd could remove one of the familiar advantages associated with playing in front of a partisan audience.
However, the presence of thousands of children means the stadium will still have spectators watching the action.
A strange night in Rijeka
The Croatia-England fixture therefore presents a rather unusual situation.
It is officially a behind-closed-doors match.
Croatia supporters will not be permitted to fill the stadium and create the normal home atmosphere.
Yet the ground is still expected to contain thousands of people.
The reason is UEFA’s regulations, which allow specific groups to attend despite a stadium closure.
For England supporters, the most notable exemption is the agreement allowing 100 England Supporters Travel Club members to attend.
For the wider crowd, however, the children’s exemption is the key factor.
With between 5,500 and 6,000 children expected alongside carers, the 8,279-capacity Stadion HNK Rijeka could look considerably fuller than the phrase “behind closed doors” initially suggests.
The match will therefore be closed to Croatia’s regular supporters, but it will not be played in front of an entirely empty stadium.
Instead, England’s players will have a small group of travelling fans behind them and a much larger group of young spectators watching from the stands.
It is a particularly unusual example of how UEFA’s disciplinary rules can dramatically change the look and feel of a major international fixture without completely removing spectators from the stadium.
For the 100 England fans who have secured tickets, it could also be a memorable night — not only because they will be watching England in Croatia, but because they will be part of one of the most unusual crowds of the Nations League campaign.