A tense Eredivisie opening weekend fixture was brought to an abrupt halt on Sunday after visiting Feyenoord supporters launched fireworks into stands holding home fans at SC Cambuur’s Kooi Stadion, leaving five spectators with serious injuries including burns, permanent hearing impairment risk and eye damage. The chaotic disruption, which unfolded in the 12th minute of the first half, forced match officials to pause play for 10 minutes as stewards and security responded to the scene. One stray explosion was captured just meters away from Feyenoord goalkeeper Tjark Ernst, highlighting how close the dangerous projectiles came to harming on-pitch personnel.
In the aftermath of the incident, newly promoted Eredivisie side SC Cambuur released a strongly worded statement condemning the reckless behavior of the visiting fans. The club, which returned to the Dutch top flight this season after three consecutive campaigns in the second tier, emphasized that the use of pyrotechnics and fireworks has no place in professional football stadiums. Officials confirmed that five home supporters had been medically assessed for injuries following the incident, and added that the club would fully cooperate with local law enforcement and football governing bodies to identify and sanction every person responsible for the disorder.
Feyenoord, who went on to secure a 5-2 victory after the match resumed, moved quickly to distance itself from the unacceptable actions of its fanbase. Head coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who previously served as assistant manager to Arne Slot at Liverpool ahead of taking his current role at the Rotterdam club, issued a formal apology to SC Cambuur on behalf of the entire organization following the final whistle. The club also announced it would request full access to stadium security camera footage to assist with investigations into the trouble.
Feyenoord general manager Robert Eenhoorn acknowledged that even the three-point win failed to offset the damage of the incident, noting that frustration over the disorder overshadowed any positive result from the fixture. “This problem obviously does not only affect Feyenoord and is unfortunately something we have been unable to put a stop to for decades,” Eenhoorn told reporters. “We will therefore have to sit down again with all stakeholders, clubs, the KNVB [Royal Dutch Football Association], and the authorities to look for a solution together.”
This incident is not an isolated case for Dutch top-flight football. Just last season, a league fixture between Ajax and Groningen had to be completely abandoned after fans ignited fireworks and flares behind one of the goals at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruyff Arena. Following Sunday’s disruption, local Leeuwarden mayor Foort van Oosten joined in condemning the violence and pledged a full official investigation into how the fireworks were smuggled into the stadium and who was behind the attack.
The KNVB has also announced it will open a review of existing crowd disorder protocols to address gaps in prevention and response revealed by the latest incident. Match rules currently only require officials to abandon a fixture if a player or match official is hit by pyrotechnics or projectiles, a rule that KNVB professional football competition manager Jan Bluyssen acknowledged may need adjustment. “That doesn’t feel right,” Bluyssen told Dutch national news agency ANP. “We need to examine whether the protocol is still appropriate and how we might want to adjust it.” Despite the calls for review, the match resumed after the 10-minute suspension to allow Feyenoord to claim their opening victory of the 2026-27 Eredivisie season.