UEFA fines Serbia 129,500 euros before Germany match
For Serbia v Germany in Belgrade on November 13, only children and about 2,000 away fans will be in the stands, and the FSS offers refunds or free entry.
When Germany arrives in Belgrade on November 13, the stands will not hold the usual crowd. UEFA has fined the Football Association of Serbia (FSS) a total of 129,500 euros and ordered one home match behind closed doors, so the Nations League game against Germany will be watched by children and about 2,000 away fans, the Association announced.
What did UEFA fine Serbia for, and how much?
The decision came from UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body. The penalties cover three Nations League matches: the home games against Greece on September 24 and the Netherlands on September 27, and the away game in Eindhoven on October 4.
For the two home matches, which UEFA handled in a single proceeding, the penalties were:
- 50,000 euros and one match without spectators, for racist and discriminatory behavior by fans
- 22,500 euros for messages inappropriate for a sporting event
- 2,000 euros for pyrotechnics
- 15,000 euros for pitch invasions
That comes to 89,500 euros. For the Eindhoven match, another 20,000 euros follows, along with a ban on selling tickets to Serbian fans for the next away game, plus 20,000 euros for a political message. Add up all three matches and the total reaches 129,500 euros.
Who can attend the Germany match?
Although the sanction is one match without a crowd, the Association says children will be allowed into the stands, along with away fans. Neither the Association’s statement nor RTS’s report gives a stadium, a kickoff time or an age limit for the children. The Association will publish details on how children can attend, and under what conditions, at a later date.
Fans who have already bought tickets for the Germany match have two options from the Association: a refund or free entry to all Serbia home games in qualifying for Euro 2028. Buyers will be contacted directly, according to the announcement. The statement says details of the refund and the free entry will be published later.
What is the Association telling fans?
Alongside the fine, the FSS issued an appeal to fans to support the national team responsibly, with respect for the rules and for opponents. The statement continues:
Discrimination, political and other inappropriate messages, pyrotechnics and incidents have no place in the stands, because their consequences directly hit the national team and the Association.
That is how the Football Association of Serbia closed its statement, which RTS also carried.
Where does the national team stand going into the match?
The fine arrives alongside a poor run of results. Serbia has no points after four Nations League rounds, RTS reports, and we reported earlier that the team had dropped to 44th place in the FIFA rankings after six defeats. The next home game, against Germany, is set for November 13 in Belgrade, with stands that, according to the Association’s announcement, will hold only children and guests from Germany.
