Key Takeaways:
- The Eredivisie fixture between Ajax and Groningen on Sunday evening was abandoned after just five minutes due to extensive fireworks in the Johan Cruyff Arena
- Officials halted play and led both teams down the tunnel as pyrotechnics exploded above the terrace behind the Ajax goal, citing an inability to guarantee player safety
- Ajax, currently sixth in the Eredivisie and 16 points adrift of PSV, condemned the incident in a strongly worded statement and pledged to identify and sanction those responsible
Match Halted Within Five Minutes
The Eredivisie encounter between Ajax and Groningen on Sunday evening was brought to an abrupt end after only five minutes, following a large-scale fireworks display inside the Johan Cruyff Arena.
With Groningen in possession in the fifth minute, pyrotechnics began detonating above the terrace located behind the Ajax goal. The unfolding display immediately forced play to stop, as players instinctively moved away from the area and headed towards the opposite end of the pitch.
Ajax’s game against Groningen was abandoned due to fans letting off fireworks shortly after kickoff 📸 pic.twitter.com/yQXeQduiTt
— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 30, 2025
Match officials quickly intervened, directing both sets of players down the tunnel as the fireworks continued to explode. The pyrotechnics persisted for more than a minute despite the complete absence of players on the field, leaving the referee with no alternative but to abandon the fixture entirely.
Fireworks Display Linked to Tribute
The pyrotechnic show was reportedly orchestrated as a tribute in memory of a supporter who had died. However, the scale and location of the display inside the stadium raised immediate concerns over safety and crowd control.
Given the intensity of the explosions and their proximity to the playing surface and stands, officials concluded that they could not ensure a safe environment for the players, staff or spectators, leading to the premature termination of the match.
Ajax Issue Strong Statement of Condemnation
Following the abandonment, Ajax expressed fury at the events and released an uncompromising statement, apologising to those affected and promising to pursue those responsible.
The club statement read: “Ajax finds what happened in the stadium tonight utterly scandalous. We apologise to everyone affected in any way. The safety of spectators and players has been jeopardised. This is unacceptable. We emphatically distance ourselves from this misconduct. Fireworks have no place in the stadium.
“Spectators in the affected section of the stadium were frisked. Dogs were also deployed to detect fireworks, both inside the stadium before it opened and as spectators entered. Other preventative measures were also implemented. Despite this, we were unable to prevent this situation.
“We will, of course, review the camera footage to try to identify the perpetrators and investigate in other ways who is responsible. If this leads to the identification of perpetrators, we will take appropriate action.”
Security Measures and Ongoing Investigation
Ajax detailed the preventative security measures that had been in place prior to kick-off, including searches of supporters in the relevant section and the use of detection dogs inside the arena both before the stadium opened and at the turnstiles as fans arrived. Despite these steps, fireworks were still brought into the ground and used in a way that forced the abandonment of the match.
The club confirmed that it will review all available camera footage and continue investigations by other means in an effort to establish how the pyrotechnics were smuggled in and who was responsible for the display. Ajax reiterated that those identified will face “appropriate action”.
Context: Ajax’ Recent Form and League Position
The cancelled fixture came at a difficult moment in Ajax’ season. The Amsterdam side currently occupy sixth place in the Eredivisie standings, sitting 16 points adrift of league leaders PSV.
Heading into Sunday’s game, Ajax had not registered a victory since late October and had been beaten in each of their previous two outings. Their recent struggles included a home defeat to Excelsior, who left the Dutch capital with all three points.
