Why are there no fans at the Croatia v England Nations League game? UEFA ruling explained

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The second weekend of the extended international break sees England face a familiar foe in Croatia but they'll do so with just 100 travelling fans to roar them on.

Indeed, fans tuning in to watch the Three Lions' third Nations League clash of the new campaign will notice a reserved atmosphere, to say the least.

That's because the game is being played without home fans and with just 100 travelling England supporters in the ground.

Stadion HNK Rijeka usually has a capacity just north of 8,000, so it may not be as noticeable as it would've been at the Maksimir Stadium, the ground in Zagreb that hosts the majority of Croatia's national team games, but still the sterile atmosphere is set to take something away from the spectacle.

But where are the home side's supporters and why have England only been allowed to bring a fraction of their usual allotment? Radio Times explains.

Why is Croatia v England being played behind closed doors?

The Croatia v England match in the Nations League on Saturday is being played behind closed doors due to a UEFA sanction against the hosts.

The punishment is in relation to crowd disturbances during Croatia's Nations League quarter-final against France in March 2025.

Pyrotechnics were set off in the Croatian section and several Croatian fans were arrested on suspicion of making Nazi salutes during the fixture, though subsequently released without prosecution due to a lack of evidence.

As a result, UEFA ruled that Croatia were not allowed away fans for their Nations League opener against Czech Republic and that Saturday's game should be played behind closed doors.

The FA appealed that ruling and argued that their fans were being unfairly punished.

UEFA conceded and the FA were allowed to give 100 complimentary tickets to active 2026-2028 England Supporters Travel Club members.

England confirmed in September that all of the fans present at the game have at least 314 all-time caps – meaning they've attended at least 314 England internationals as part of the supporters club.

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Authors

Ned is a sports writer at RadioTimes.com. He has covered a host of sports from EFL football, international cricket and golf all the way through to bike polo and triathlon.