Derry City have been handed a suspended partial closure of their Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium by UEFA, following crowd trouble before and during their Europa League tie against CSKA Sofia on 16 July. The disorder, which required a police response and forced fans, including young children, onto the pitch to escape confrontations in the stands, halted the match for 14 minutes as the Candystripes went on to lose 2-1 and exit the competition. The sanction underlines UEFA's concern over supporter safety at the venue, though the punishment will only take effect if further incidents occur.

The stadium closure is suspended for a two-year probationary period, and Derry City have also been fined 20,000 euro (£17,000). CSKA Sofia face a one-match away-fan ban for their next European fixture, with an additional one-game sanction suspended for two years, alongside fines totalling 55,000 euro (£47,000) and an order to settle damage costs with Derry City. Both clubs have accepted their punishments, with Derry investigating its own supporters and CSKA Sofia apologising and agreeing to cover repair costs, as Derry prepare to face HNK Rijeka in the Conference League on Thursday.