The Euro 2024 qualifier between Belgium and Sweden was abruptly halted at halftime following a shooting incident that claimed the lives of two individuals. With the score tied at 1-1, the decision was made to suspend the game, leaving fans confined to the King Baudouin Stadium until security arrangements were in place to facilitate their departure.
A UEFA statement confirmed the abandonment of the match, citing a suspected terrorist attack in Brussels as the cause. Following consultations with both teams and local law enforcement, it was mutually decided that the game could not continue. The statement also assured that additional information would be provided in due course.
In the stadium, an announcement delivered in English, French, Dutch, and Swedish relayed the players’ collective decision not to proceed with the match in light of the earlier events in Brussels. The crowd responded with a solemn applause as a show of solidarity and respect.
The shooting, which occurred approximately three miles (5km) away from the King Baudouin Stadium, has left the gunman still at large, plunging Belgium’s National Crisis Centre to elevate the city’s terror alert to its highest level on Monday night. While the city remains on high alert, the terror threat level for the rest of Belgium has been downgraded to the second-highest tier.
Belgium’s Prime Minister, Alexandre de Croo, confirmed that the two fatalities were Swedish nationals, with initial reports indicating that the victims were wearing Swedish football shirts. The tragic incident unfolded before the highly anticipated match at the King Baudouin Stadium, situated on the outskirts of the city, leaving an indelible mark of sorrow and shock on the footballing community and the nation as a whole.
