UEFA closed our stadium, and Gică Hagi found out only now! The match without spectators that Romania is going to play
Article by Andrei Crăiţoiu – Published Wednesday, 03 June 2026, 11:35 / Updated Wednesday, 03 June 2026 11:40
Romania's national team drew with Georgia, score 1-1, and now prepares for the home match against Wales. The next home match of the “tricolors” with spectators in the stands will not take place until October 5, against Sweden, as the game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, scheduled for September 28, will be played without fans in the stadium
Gheorghe Hagi returned to the bench of the national team after almost 25 years, in the 1-1 draw with Georgia.
Now, the players of the first national team are preparing for the duel with Wales, at the Ghencea Stadium, where over 70% of the tickets have already been sold. It is the first opportunity for supporters to see Hagi on the bench, in front of their own fans.
The next home game is scheduled for September 28 in the Nations League against Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, it will be contested without spectators in the stands. UEFA wanted to remind the officials of the Romanian delegation of this aspect from the moment of the draw.
Romania – Bosnia and Herzegovina, without spectators
The reason? A decision of the European forum made almost two years ago, after Kosovo left the field in extra time of the match at the National Arena.
The “Tricolors” then won the match on the green table, 3-0, and ended the course of the League of Nations with consecutive victories.
UEFA then decided that Romania would play a match without spectators due to the xenophobic chants of some supporters.
Although Romania has played several matches at home since then, the suspension will only come into effect now, as the sanction is applied within the same competition.
This was dictated for the xenophobic chants of some supporters present at the National Arena. In addition, FRF received fines totaling 128,000 euros.
Kosovo violated the most important principle in football, namely that the match should be played on the pitch. However, the Kosovar team was not sanctioned. Instead, we received some fines and a penalty that we consider too high
Răzvan Burleanu, president of the FRF (December 2024)
Try to fill the stadium with children
In the context of this suspension, the officials of the Romanian Football Federation will try to apply a solution by which the players will still be encouraged from the stands.
Thus, they will request UEFA's approval for children from football schools and educational institutions in Bucharest and throughout the country to be present at the stadium.
According to the regulations, when a club or federation receives the sanction to play a match without spectators, access to the stadium by the general public is prohibited. However, groups of children accompanied by adults may be allowed free entry.
The national team also played with children in the stands in October 2019, when approximately 30,000 people were present at the National Arena for the match Romania – Norway, which ended with a score of 1-1.
The most recent example is from the preliminaries for the European Championship 2024, when, also after a match with Kosovo, Romania was sanctioned and had to play without spectators. However, he managed to gather over 21,000 children under 14 in the 4-0 victory over Andorra.
