Large police presence planned for Feyenoord-Ajax football match

According to the Rotterdam police, they will have a large, "visible and invisible" presence around De Kuip stadium on Sunday afternoon. The exciting football match between archrivals Feyenoord and Ajax starts there at 2:30 pm. A spokesperson would not comment on how the police plan to keep the match going.

However, police said that "several scenarios have been created" to ensure that the bus carrying the Ajax team can reach the stadium grounds safely.

Both the club and the authorities want to prevent a repeat of the unrest at the last edition in Rotterdam. On December 19, 2021, 78 people were arrested around the match, including for possession of heavy illegal fireworks, abusive behavior and open violence. When the Ajax bus arrived at the stadium, it was besieged by hundreds of rioters with smoke bombs and fireworks. In addition, there was also a group of over 100 people who threw fireworks and bottles at the police.

The match, which took place in an empty Kuip due to the pandemic, was under high tension because of the presence of ex-Feyenoord player Steven Berghuis, who moved to the Amsterdam club in the summer of 2021.

It is the first time since January 27, 2019, that the Klassieker is played again in a full Kuip. For years, the away team's supporters have not been welcome at matches between the two rivals, as there have been riots and security risks at this encounter in the past.