England’s Nations League clash with Croatia in Rijeka will be played with a heavily restricted attendance on Saturday, following disciplinary action related to incidents involving Croatian supporters.
The match will be staged at Stadion Rujevica, the same ground where England and Croatia previously met in October 2018. That encounter ended 0-0 and was also played without a regular crowd.
The current restrictions stem from incidents involving Croatia supporters during their Nations League meeting with France in March 2025.
Seven supporters were detained after being suspected of making Nazi salutes during the match. They were subsequently released without prosecution after authorities determined there was not enough evidence to pursue the case.
There were further incidents inside the stadium, with Croatia fans reportedly setting off fireworks in their allocated section of the Stade de France.
Croatia also faced another supporter-related restriction for their following Nations League fixture in the Czech Republic. Travelling Croatian fans were not permitted to attend that match, which Croatia won 2-1.
Will Fans Be Allowed to Attend Croatia vs England?
Despite the fixture being officially listed as a behind-closed-doors match, the stadium will not be completely empty.
Between 3,000 and 6,000 Croatian schoolchildren have been given permission to attend the game at Stadion Rujevica. Their presence means there will still be spectators inside the stadium despite the restrictions.
England supporters were initially excluded from the match. However, discussions involving Uefa and the English side resulted in a small allocation being approved.
A total of 100 complimentary tickets were subsequently made available to England fans.
The unusual arrangements mean Saturday’s Nations League meeting will have a very different atmosphere from a conventional international fixture, with only a limited group of spectators able to watch Croatia take on England in Rijeka.
For more football news and match updates, visit Football Today.