FC Bayern will play against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in the final home game of the Champions League group stage. There are no fans in the lower south curve during the game. The reason is a suspension and a decision by the club. This causes trouble.
It was a very unusual picture that the spectators in the Munich stadium and the fans on television saw on Wednesday evening. In FC Bayern’s penultimate group game and last home game in the Champions League against the Belgian soccer champions Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, the lower south curve of the Munich Arena remained empty. The mood and volume in the stadium was corresponding. The most active fans, including many ultras, are in the south curve.
“Against collective punishment – for a vibrant fan culture” – that was what was written on a banner that the fans had hung above the empty stands. They also chanted: “Fuck Uefa! Fuck Uefa!”
Background: Due to a pyrotechnic penalty from the European association Uefa, the game was played without Bayern fans in the lower tier of the south curve. National player Aleksandar Pavlović called the loss of mood due to less loud fans in the stadium “a shame”.
After the pyrotechnics incidents in the game against Sporting Lisbon (3-1) on December 9, 2025, the UEFA disciplinary commission fined FC Bayern 50,000 euros and blocked blocks 111 to 114 in the lower tier of the south curve. The club was actually spared a complete closure of the stands. However, for technical reasons, the club was forced to lock out almost twice as many fans.
“Since there is no block allocation of tickets for FC Bayern home games in the lower tier of the south curve and all 9,336 tickets for blocks 109 to 117 are valid, it is not technically possible for the club to specifically cancel only the 4,800 tickets for blocks 111 to 114,” said a message sent by the club on January 8th. Therefore, all tickets for this area have been completely canceled. The entrance fee will be refunded to the buyer.
“We have proven that collective punishments are ineffective”
FC Bayern’s active fan scene, including many ultra groups, sent out a message on Wednesday evening. It says: “Even with a collective penalty like the partial exclusion from today’s home game, we are represented loudly and in large numbers in the stadium. We have proven that collective penalties are futile and the penalty policy of the association and our club can be reduced to absurdity at any time.”
Around 1,000 ultras had bought tickets in the upper tier of the south curve and ensured that the atmosphere was not completely gone. The fan scene continued to express clear criticism of the club: “Uefa has closed almost 4,800 seats in the lower tier of the south curve for today’s home game. FC Bayern Munich has voluntarily doubled this already disproportionate penalty, resulting in all 9,336 seats in the lower tier being blocked. Such an approach is an unprecedented precedent that cannot go unchallenged. Collective punishments are not compatible with the legal concept of a free society, even in the area of sport. They play those affected against each other and take those who are not involved into family custody.”
The statement also said: “We call on all clubs and especially FC Bayern to stand up for its fans and members and to critically question UEFA’s disproportionate understanding of the law. We will never accept collective punishment because ‘we are always here’!”
Julien Wolff is a sports editor at the Sports Competence Center. He reports for WORLD for many years from Munich about FC Bayern and the national team as well as about fitness topics.
