Ajax Match Abandoned Due to Fireworks Incident
On November 30, 2025, Ajax’s Eredivisie fixture against FC Groningen at the Johan Cruyff Arena was abruptly halted after fans set off fireworks and flares near one of the goals.
Referee Bas Nijhuis pulled the players off the field just five minutes into the match, and when efforts to resume play were met with similar disruption, the game was officially abandoned.
The Dutch club announced on Sunday that the contest will be completed behind closed doors on Tuesday, December 2.
Ajax stated via Twitter, “The match between Ajax and FC Groningen will restart on Tuesday at 14:30. The game was halted on Sunday evening with the score being 0-0 due to ongoing fireworks.”
In response to the incident, Ajax released a statement condemning the behavior. They expressed, “Ajax finds what transpired in the stadium tonight to be absolutely scandalous. We apologize to anyone affected. The safety of our spectators and players was jeopardized, which is unacceptable. We completely disavow this misconduct. Fireworks have no place in the stadium.”
The club also shared that, despite implemented safety measures such as searching spectators in the affected area and using dogs to detect fireworks, they were unable to avert the situation.
Ajax added, “We will review the camera footage to identify those responsible and will take necessary actions if the perpetrators are identified.”
Information from PA contributed to this report.
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