Vitesse–De Graafschap called off after away fans block team bus
The Dutch second-tier derby was postponed after De Graafschap supporters blocked their own team's bus in protest at a ban on away fans at Vitesse's GelreDome.
Sunday's Dutch second-tier match between Vitesse Arnhem and De Graafschap was called off after away supporters blocked their own team's bus from leaving for the game. Dutch media reported that De Graafschap fans gathered outside the club's stadium in Doetinchem early in the day and prevented the vehicle from departing, protesting a decision to bar away fans from the fixture at Vitesse's GelreDome.
The ban followed the failure of supporters to agree to security measures set out for the derby. In a Saturday statement, Vitesse said the decision was taken on police information and after consultation with security partners. The club proposed an away allocation of 500, reduced from the standard 800, on condition of measures including inspection of fan paraphernalia before supporters arrived. Vitesse said police information and talks with De Graafschap indicated some fans insisted on bringing such items contrary to agreements, and cited serious disturbances around the 2025-26 edition of the fixture, when De Graafschap supporters were also banned.
The Dutch Football Association said the game would not go ahead on Sunday and referred the matter to its disciplinary bodies. It called the situation unacceptable and said supporters making football impossible could not be tolerated, adding that those responsible harm their club, their team, the sport and the thousands who do attend for the football.
De Graafschap rejected the account given in Vitesse's announcement, saying they did not recognise the picture painted of their club and supporters and found it unacceptable that their fans were portrayed that way. After the cancellation, the club said it was shocked and wanted the initial emotion to subside and to gain a full picture before offering a fuller response.
Vitesse director Willem van der Linden called the cancellation a major disappointment, describing a fine Gelderland derby between two regional clubs in a well-filled stadium that could not take place. He said Vitesse had done everything possible to get the match started and that the intention was to stage it under the same circumstances, though no new date has been announced. Vitesse sit 10th after the weekend's fixtures, with De Graafschap, based less than 20 miles to the east, in 15th.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
