In a recent announcement, UEFA has confirmed that the Euro 2024 qualifier between Belgium and Sweden, which was abandoned at half-time due to a shooting incident in Brussels, will not be replayed.
The match came to a halt when the two teams were tied at 1-1, as security concerns took precedence. After careful deliberation, UEFA has ruled that the half-time score will be deemed as the final result, and both teams will be awarded a point.
“Each team is granted one point, resulting in Group F standings being adjusted accordingly. Any suspensions or single yellow cards issued during the game will remain valid,” UEFA stated.
The decision was made after it was determined that continuing the match on the following day was not possible. Both the Royal Belgian Football Association and the Swedish Football Association explicitly expressed their preference not to resume play and to accept the 1-1 score as the final outcome.
Importantly, it is worth noting that this result will not impact the qualification status of Group F. Belgium has already secured their place in the UEFA EURO 2024 final tournament, along with Austria. Meanwhile, Sweden has been mathematically eliminated.
The scheduling constraints of the upcoming November international window, which includes the conclusion of the preliminary group stage, the play-off draw, and the final tournament draw, also factored into UEFA’s decision.
Tragically, during the terror attack that occurred prior to the match, two Swedish fans lost their lives, while another sustained severe injuries. The attacker was subsequently neutralized by Brussels police at a cafe in the Schaerbeek neighbourhood.
