LONDON: England face being handed a stadium ban by Uefa after the governing body opened an investigation into the chaotic and violent scenes at Wembley around the Euro 2020 final, meaning one or more of their Nations League games next year could be played behind closed doors.
The Football Association faces an anxious wait to see what Uefa’s ethics and disciplinary committee makes of what became a disturbingly unruly afternoon on Sunday. Uefa said its investigation would be into “events involving supporters which occurred inside and around the stadium”; it is already understood that hundreds of people without tickets attempted to break through barriers, turnstiles and gates to enter Wembley, and that a significant number succeeded in doing so.
Uefa separately charged the FA over fans’ behaviour inside the ground before and during the game, which England lost on penalties against Italy. Those offences were invasion of the pitch, throwing of objects, booing of the Italian national anthem and the lighting of a firework.