The relegation derby is out of control! The fans ran away from the stands from the fireworks thrown even by “their own”
Article by Cosmin Nistor – Published Sunday, April 26, 2026, 5:59 p.m. / Updated Sunday, April 26, 2026, 5:59 p.m.
A high-stakes game to save from relegation turned into total chaos in the Eredivisie, the top league in Holland. The duel between Heracles Almelo and FC Volendam, from the 31st stage, was overshadowed by serious incidents in the stands.
The game in Almelo was a crucial one: both teams occupied relegation positions before the starting whistle. The guests from Volendam prevailed 2-0, thanks to the successes that practically confirmed their exit from the red zone, with three stages before the end. For Heracles, however, defeat confirmed relegation, an outcome that had been hanging around for weeks but was made official by this setback.
PHOTO. Total chaos in the stands: They ran away from the fireworks of their “own” supporters
The atmosphere, already tense, completely degenerated in the last few minutes. Members of the hosts' gallery started throwing smoke and fireworks onto the field, but some of them fell into the lower sector, also occupied by Heracles fans.
The projectiles endangered their own supporters. The scenes were incredible: dozens of people, including parents with children, ran scared from the stands to avoid the objects thrown from above.
The reaction of the affected fans was not long: they burst into anger and began to apostrophize the ultras, shouting “shame!The internal conflict in the stands amplified the tension, and the situation became impossible to control for several minutes, according to sportnieuws.nl.
The referee stopped the match
Central Jannick van der Laan decided to send the players to the dressing room immediately after the incidents broke out. The match was stopped for dozens of minutes while law enforcement tried to restore calm. The resumption of the game was possible only after the situation stabilized.
Former Dutch international Danny Koevermans summed it up perfectly, live on ESPN: “Deep and deeply sad.”
