Royal Antwerp FC supporters have been granted permission to attend the away match against Standard Liège at Sclessin after all. Liège mayor Willy Demeyer (PS) reversed his earlier ban following a new risk assessment and guarantees from involved parties.
The match takes place on Friday evening, September 5, 2026. Antwerp, currently ninth in the Jupiler Pro League with 7 points from 4 matches, travels to Liège trailing league leaders Charleroi by 5 points. The club has scored 10 goals and conceded 9 so far this season.
The original decision to refuse Antwerp fans was made due to insufficient police personnel for security. RAFC reacted furiously with an official statement. Over a thousand supporters had announced they would still travel to Liège despite the ban. This led to talks between fan groups, the clubs, and the city administration.
After these talks and a fresh risk analysis, Mayor Demeyer decided to grant permission. His cabinet confirmed the revised decision. The supporters' organization Antwerp Dynamite indicated that Standard fans had also pressured authorities to allow the Antwerp contingent.
Antwerp Dynamite reacted with relief to the news. "Our supporters' legion will simply take their place tonight," the group said. Regarding the role of the home fans, they added: "They also helped put pressure to get us admitted."
The club itself referred to itself as RAFC in its earlier statement and voiced sharp criticism of the initial ban. The U-turn comes after intensive consultation and a reassessment of the safety situation around the stadium.
Antwerp approaches this away fixture from mid-table in the Jupiler Pro League. With 7 points from 4 games (2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss) and a recent form of LDWW, the team needs points to close the gap to the top. The full standings can be followed online.
The attack has done its job with 10 goals scored, but the defense leaves room for improvement with 9 conceded. The next assignment, an away match against Club Brugge KV on September 13, is already on the schedule. That opponent currently sits second in the table.
The admitted supporters can cheer on their team live in an important away match. For Antwerp, every point is important to maintain connection with the upper regions of the competition. The complete fixtures for the coming weeks are available on our site.
The club has a balanced squad, which fans can view on the squad page. The focus is now first on the confrontation in Liège, after which attention immediately turns to the trip to Bruges in eight days.
