September 10, (THEWILL) – The ongoing labour dispute involving Dutch police has led to the cancellation of a second Eredivisie match featuring Ajax Amsterdam.
City officials announced on Monday, that the weekend fixture between Ajax and Utrecht at the Johan Cruyff Arena cannot proceed.
Amsterdam authorities cited safety issues as the primary reason for calling off the match. They determined that without police support, it would be impossible to ensure the well-being of players and fans or maintain order in the city during the event.
Officials also ruled out the possibility of holding the match behind closed doors. Even without spectators present, they concluded that the risk of disturbances and dangerous situations remained too high to allow the game to go forward without police involvement.
This decision follows the earlier postponement of Ajax’s away match against Feyenoord on September 1, which Rotterdam authorities banned due to the same police strike. The situation has left Ajax with only two league games played so far this season, significantly disrupting their schedule.
Dutch police have been engaged in industrial action since May, pushing for better early retirement terms. Their campaign includes reducing fine issuance, limiting public access to police stations, and conducting loud protests using vehicle sirens. The police union has stated that these actions will continue until progress is made in negotiations.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
