England Forced to Play Home Game Without Fans as Discipline for Euro 2020 Final Unrest

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — UEFA ordered England on Monday to play one men’s national team game in an empty stadium as punishment for chaotic disorder around Wembley Stadium at the European Championship final in July.

The stadium closure will apply for a Nations League fixture in June. A second empty-stadium game was deferred for a two-year probationary period.

Thousands of English fans tried to break through barriers to get into Wembley, which was hosting the Euro 2020 final against Italy at about two-thirds capacity due to limits applied during the COVID-19 pandemic

The England soccer federation was also fined 100,000 euros ($118,000) for fan violence and other incidents in and around the stadium, including disturbances during the Italian national anthem before the final.

England, in its first major tournament final for 55 years, lost to Italy in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw.

The opponent for England’s empty-stadium game will be known after UEFA makes the Nations League draw on Dec. 16.