NATO summit may strain police availability for Dutch football celebrations

The availability of police for potential soccer championship celebrations remains unclear in the coming months as Dutch law enforcement prepares for the NATO summit on June 24 and 25. National police have advised organizers to exercise caution when planning large public gatherings due to the strain on resources.

Amsterdam officials have not confirmed whether police will be available for a possible Ajax victory celebration. Ajax leads the Eredivisie and widened its gap over PSV to eight points on Sunday, with ten matches remaining in the season. “We are not speculating on an Ajax celebration or the availability of police at this time,” a city spokesperson said.

Eindhoven officials, however, do not anticipate police shortages affecting a potential PSV championship event. “The final Eredivisie match is scheduled for May 18. By then, or possibly earlier, the champion will be determined. This is well before the NATO summit,” a city spokesperson stated. PSV is the reigning champion.

Uncertainty also surrounds celebrations for the KNVB Cup final between AZ Alkmaar and Go Ahead Eagles, set for April 21. Alkmaar has not yet provided details on police availability. “The city council and public safety officials are considering the matter, but it is too early to make a statement,” a spokesperson said. Deventer officials also remain undecided. “We need to finalize our event plans before determining police capacity,” a city representative stated. “That process is still ongoing.”

The NATO summit in The Hague is expected to bring approximately 8,500 attendees, including world leaders and defense officials from about 45 countries. Nearly 27,000 police officers—nearly half of the entire Dutch police force—will be deployed to ensure security.

The reduced police presence has already led to event cancellations. The Westland Flower Parade, which had been rescheduled earlier than usual, has now been fully canceled. Several cycling events, including Veenendaal-Veenendaal, the Ronde van Overijssel, and the ZLM Tour, have also been called off.

The Dutch national road cycling and time trial championships have been moved to different municipalities, while the Ster van Zwolle and the Ronde van Limburg have been incorporated into a larger cycling tour instead of being standalone events. The National Veterans Day program has also been scaled back due to police shortages.