Five Cambuur fans injured as Feyenoord supporters fire fireworks into stands during Dutch league match

Five SC Cambuur supporters sustained injuries after Feyenoord fans fired fireworks into their section during a Dutch Eredivisie match on Sunday, the club confirmed in a statement. The victims, seated in a family section, suffered burns, hearing damage and eye injuries, according to Cambuur. The incident occurred in the 12th minute of the match, which Feyenoord later won 5-2.

Cambuur stated that fireworks were not only set off but also directed toward the field and surrounding stands from the away section on the South tribune. Feyenoord goalkeeper Tjak Ernst narrowly avoided being struck by the fireworks. The club vowed to work with authorities to identify and prosecute the perpetrators, calling the use of fireworks in a stadium "completely unacceptable."

Referee Danny Makkelie halted the match immediately after the incident but resumed play after about 30 minutes following consultations with the KNVB, the Dutch football governing body, and local authorities in Leeuwarden. Makkelie acknowledged that the perpetrators, who wore balaclavas and hid under a banner, could not be apprehended at the time due to the chaos and smoke. KNVB protocol requires a match to be abandoned only if objects are thrown onto the field more than once or if a player or official is struck by an object from the crowd.

Jan Bluyssen, manager of professional football competition affairs at the KNVB, later told Dutch news agency ANP that it "does not feel right" that the match was completed under these circumstances. The KNVB announced it would review its protocol for handling such incidents after the game.

Feyenoord, managed by Giovanni van Bronckhorst, had already built a 4-0 lead by halftime, with the match interrupted shortly after the opening goals. The victory marked Feyenoord’s first of the season, though the result was overshadowed by the off-field disturbances.

Cambuur reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of spectators and condemned the actions of the Feyenoord supporters, emphasizing that such behavior has no place in football stadiums. The KNVB’s review of its protocols is expected to address gaps in enforcement when perpetrators cannot be immediately identified.