De Graafschap to take no away fans until April
The club responds to the blockade of the team bus before the derby against Vitesse was called off.
Follow-up to: Gelderland derby called off after players’ bus blocked Sunday, 8 November 2026, 13:18
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De Graafschap will take no supporters to away matches up to and including 31 March 2027. The club says the decision follows Sunday’s blockade of the team bus, which meant the match against Vitesse could not go ahead.
De Graafschap announced on Monday that it would temporarily take no away supporters to matches outside Doetinchem. According to the club, the measure applies up to and including 31 March 2027.
On Sunday, supporters blocked the team bus before it was due to leave for Arnhem. According to De Graafschap, they were protesting against the earlier decision not to allow De Graafschap supporters into the derby at the GelreDome. The match was subsequently not played.
The club calls blocking the bus unacceptable, saying it not only made an official match impossible but also restricted the freedom of movement of players and staff. De Graafschap also says it wants to investigate which supporters were responsible.
The measure is a decision by the club. It is not known whether disciplinary action by the KNVB or criminal investigations will also follow. According to Omroep Gelderland, the police were aware of the blockade, but the club had not requested official assistance.
The issue affects supporters as well as players and staff. The original restriction concerned access for away supporters; afterwards, supporters themselves prevented the team bus from leaving.
For supporters, the decision means that during the stated period they cannot travel to away matches with the club as an organised following. De Graafschap did not elaborate in its statement on whether individual supporters might still be granted access under certain conditions.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The club has announced that it will take no away supporters until 31 March 2027.
- The team bus was blocked before the derby.
- As a result, the match against Vitesse did not go ahead.
Left
Arguments Emphasises that supporters are part of the football community and that exclusion primarily affects the wider fan base.
Values Accessibility, inclusion and proportionality.
Consequences Fears that collective measures will widen the distance between clubs, police and supporters.
Centre
Arguments Wants to guarantee safety, but calls for clear criteria, review points and a distinction between those responsible and the rest of the fan base.
Values Proportionality, practicability and institutional trust.
Consequences Considers a temporary restriction defensible as long as it remains reviewable and limited.
Right
Arguments Believes that supporters who block a team bus temporarily forfeit the right to attend away matches.
Values Order, responsibility and the protection of players and staff.
Consequences Warns that soft responses could encourage further supporter violence or intimidation.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The measure, its cause and the cancellation have been confirmed by the club and independent reporting. The unknown consequences for individual supporters have explicitly been left uncertain.
- confirmed De Graafschap will take no supporters to away matches up to and including 31 March 2027. — NOS and club statement. source
- confirmed Supporters blocked the team bus on Sunday, after which Vitesse-De Graafschap did not go ahead. — NOS and independent reporting. source
- confirmed The police were aware but received no official request for assistance. — Omroep Gelderland. source
Editor's note
De Graafschap’s new decision has been confirmed by the club and NOS. The precise disciplinary or criminal-law consequences for supporters are not yet known.Sources
The story so far
- Sunday, 8 November 2026, 13:18 Gelderland derby called off after players’ bus blocked
- Monday, 9 November 2026, 18:26 De Graafschap to take no away fans until April (this article)
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „de graafschap”
- RTL Nieuws — „de graafschap”
- NOS — „de graafschap”