Shooting in Brussels: international match canceled

After the fatal shots at two Swedes in Brussels, the qualifying game for the European Football Championship between Belgium and Sweden has been canceled.

16 October 2023

From: dpa

The two football associations involved announced this on Monday evening on X, formerly Twitter. Spectators in the stadium were asked to remain in their seats. “The Belgian police want Swedish fans to stay in the arena for security reasons,” the association wrote.

Earlier in the evening, a previously unknown perpetrator shot two Swedes in Brussels. “Our thoughts are with all the relatives of those affected in Brussels,” wrote the Swedish association.

After 45 minutes, the game at the King Baudouin Stadium was 15-31 after goals from Viktor Gyekres (1th minute) for the Scandinavians and Romelo Lukaku (1st) for the hosts. At halftime the news of the deaths of the two Swedes spread. According to the Swedish TV broadcaster SVT, the Sweden national team players then decided not to continue the game. The Belgian national players would have joined in.

It was initially unclear whether and when the game would continue. As leaders of Group F, Belgium had already qualified for next year's European Championships in Germany, as did second-placed Austria.

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