Emergency decree in Enschede city center for FC Twente Conference League qualifier

An emergency decree will be enforced in the city center of Enschede on Wednesday and Thursday due to the match between FC Twente and the Swedish football club Hammarby IF in the second qualifying round of the Conference League, the municipality announced on Monday. For safety reasons, only FC Twente supporters will be allowed in the city center during this period.

The emergency decree stipulates that supporters of Hammarby IF and fans of any club other than FC Twente are not allowed to hang out in the city center on Wednesday and Thursday. The emergency decree will be in effect from 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday to 10:00 a.m. on Friday. As long as the measure is in force, the police can intervene quickly to prevent disturbances caused by supporter groups.

“Swedish supporters who hold a ticket for the match will be welcome in the fan zone at the FC Twente stadium on Thursday afternoon before the match," said Deputy Mayor Niels van den Berg. This refers to approximately 1,500 Swedish fans.

Van den Berg took this decision after consultation with the Public Prosecution Office (OM) and the police “to prevent confrontations between groups of supporters” and "in the interest of everyone's safety." It is expected to be very busy on Thursday evening in the city center of Enschede due to the Grolsch Summer Sounds Enschede Dance event taking place on the Oude Markt square and the regular late-night shopping evening.

As part of the emergency decree, Van den Berg has also asked hospitality entrepreneurs and retailers in the city center and around the FC Twente stadium to serve consumption in plastic cups on their terraces on Wednesday and Thursday.

The match between FC Twente and Hammarby IF is the first leg of the second qualifying round of the Conference League. The second leg will take place in Stockholm on Thursday, August 3rd.