Serbia has taken a blow ahead of the crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Albania, which will be played at the Duboçica Stadium in Leskovac.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided this Tuesday to fine the Serbian Football Federation 80,000 Swiss francs and also to close part of the stadium to fans.
The fine and stadium penalty for Serbia comes after incidents related to order and security, as well as inappropriate and discriminatory behavior of home fans during the World Cup qualifying match, Serbia - England, which was played on September 9 at the "Rajko Mitić" stadium.
According to the decision, Serbia will have to play with at least 20% of the capacity of closed stands, mainly those behind the goals.
So, out of the 8,000 seats that the Duboçica stadium has, around 6,000 fans will be present in its stands for the match on October 11th.
In accordance with the decision, the Football Federation of Serbia is obliged to submit a seating arrangement plan to FIFA no later than ten days before the match, with the possibility of filling part of the capacity with communities and special interest groups (families, students, organizations focused on the fight against discrimination).