September 9 – The Football Association of Serbia (FSS) has appealed to its fans to support the national team with dignity and to refrain from unsportsmanlike conduct during the upcoming World Cup qualifier against England.
Tuesday’s match between Serbia and England at the Rajko Mitic Stadium in Belgrade is hotly anticipated but has the potential to spark trouble. Serbia described the sold-out match as “one of the most important in the history of Serbian football.”
In its statement, published under the title “For Serbia. Let us be united in the love of football”, the federation emphasises the risks associated with possible incidents.
England’s captain Harry Kane has confirmed England players held a meeting to discuss their response to the possibility of racist abuse in Serbia and said they will follow the UEFA protocol should an incident arise.
The FSS is under special supervision by UEFA and FIFA due to numerous incidents in the past. Over the past five years (2021-2025), the federation has been fined a whopping €703,375 by UEFA and FIFA for “various prohibited acts, insults and discrimination from the stands”. This amount is only around €30,000 less than the total fines for the previous 14 years (2006-2020).
The federation appeals to fans to “send the world an image that everyone can be proud of” and urged supporters not to boo the English national anthem.
“The national team is our pride, we have no other, and it deserves the support that befits such an important match,” the statement said. “Let us be united in our love of football, support our team in the right way, and show respect for the opponent and the anthem of their country. Let the match with England be a celebration of sport and respect between rivals and nations.”
Contact the writer of this story, Alexander Krassimirov, at [email protected]