Ajax vs Groningen abandoned after dangerous pyrotechnic chaos at Johan Cruyff Arena

Christopher Sededzi Kwame 10:18 - 01 December 2025

Ajax–Groningen match abandoned after massive chaos at Johan Cruyff Arena | Olaf KRAAK / ANP / AFP / Profimedia

Ajax’s league match against Groningen was abandoned on Sunday night after a dramatic and dangerous outburst of pyrotechnics lit up the stands at the Johan Cruyff Arena.

The explosive display erupted barely five minutes into the Eredivisie fixture, forcing both teams to halt play as fireworks boomed across the stadium. Match officials immediately suspended the game, escorting players back into the tunnel for safety.

Reports indicate the fireworks were set off as a tribute to an Ajax supporter who died last month, but the club expressed outrage after the disruption led to the match being called off.

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In a strongly worded statement on X, Ajax said,

Ajax finds what happened in the stadium tonight utterly scandalous. We apologise to anyone affected by this incident. The safety of spectators and players has been compromised. This is unacceptable. We strongly condemn this misconduct. Fireworks have no place in the stadium.

The club added that fans in the affected section had been searched, and sniffer dogs were used before the match and during entry checks. Despite these precautions, the fireworks still made it inside.

Ajax said it will review CCTV footage and pursue all avenues to identify those responsible, promising “appropriate measures” once perpetrators are found.

Frustration spread among fans, with one Groningen supporter posting, as quoted by the Daily Mail,

The minimum here should be awarding Groningen a forfeit win, docking Ajax enough points to ensure relegation, and forcing them to play home games behind closed doors indefinitely.

The incident adds to a turbulent season for Ajax, who have suffered two defeats and a draw in their last three Eredivisie home games. The club also dismissed manager John Heitinga earlier this month following a disappointing 3–0 Champions League loss to Galatasaray.

Ajax vs FC Groningen to be played behind closed doors

Meanwhile, Ajax has announced that the match will be played behind closed doors after the chaos.

The match between Ajax and FC Groningen will resume on Tuesday at 14:30. The game was abandoned on Sunday evening after repeated fireworks were set off, with the score at 0-0. At the moment play was halted; almost six minutes had been played between Ajax and FC Groningen. The match will take place on Tuesday behind closed doors.

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