SC Cambuur has confirmed that several supporters sustained burns, hearing damage, and eye injuries after visiting Feyenoord fans launched fireworks during their league match in Leeuwarden, Friesland. The incident occurred on Sunday, forcing a 20-minute suspension of play during the first half as the away section ignited numerous red flares and projectiles.
The chaos extended onto the pitch, where a flare was fired directly at Feyenoord goalkeeper Tjark Ernst. Feyenoord general manager Robert Eenhoorn described the situation as “simply terrible,” noting that his goalkeeper narrowly avoided being struck by the pyrotechnics. Cambuur reported on Monday that five fans were officially confirmed injured, and the club is now collaborating with local authorities to identify those responsible for the violence. “It should be clear that setting off and firing fireworks is completely unacceptable and has no place in a football stadium whatsoever,” the club stated.
Leeuwarden Mayor Foort van Oosten has condemned the actions and pledged a full investigation into the security breach. Meanwhile, the Dutch football association (KNVB) is under pressure to re-evaluate its match-day safety protocols. Jan Bluyssen, the KNVB manager for professional football competition affairs, admitted that the current situation “doesn’t feel right” and confirmed that officials are reviewing whether existing procedures remain appropriate for such disorder.
Despite the injuries, the match was allowed to continue, though officials noted that the game would have been abandoned had a player or referee been hit. On the field, Feyenoord secured a 5-2 victory, extending their unbeaten start to the season, while the result left newly promoted Cambuur winless after their first three matches. The report also notes that the match on Sunday was halted for about 20 minutes in the first half when fans in the away section lit large numbers of red flares and threw fireworks.
