Fansided

Belgium-Spain friendly cancelled due to safety concerns

By Marco D'Onofrio

Jul 1, 2014; Salvador, BRAZIL; Belgium head coach Marc Wilmots against USA during the round of sixteen match in the 2014 World Cup at Arena Fonte Nova. Belgium defeated USA 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 1, 2014; Salvador, BRAZIL; Belgium head coach Marc Wilmots against USA during the round of sixteen match in the 2014 World Cup at Arena Fonte Nova. Belgium defeated USA 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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After Friday’s horrific events in Paris, the Belgian Football Association decided to cancel Belgium’s friendly against Spain on Tuesday night over safety concerns. 

Belgium beat Italy 3-1 on Friday at King Baudouin Stadium and were hoping to follow it up with another big win against Spain on Tuesday. However, the Belgian Football Association decided to officially cancel the match after the government had expressed concerns guaranteeing the safety of the event.

The Belgian government had recently raised terror threat levels after the attacks in Paris, and they have now become increasingly concerned over the safety of playing Tuesday’s friendly. After speculation had started to arise that the game would be cancelled, the Belgian Football Association officially released the following statement to indeed confirm that they have decided to forego the match.

"“In consultation with the relevant authorities and the Spanish national team, the Belgian FA has decided to cancel the meeting  At the very end of the evening, the Belgian FA has been contacted by the government that made the recommendation not to organize the match tomorrow night.  This is due to the terror alert level being high and the current search for a suspicious person. We deeply regret that such a friendly match between two motivated teams is cancelled so late and we understand the disappointment of many supporters. Taking into account the exceptional circumstances, we can not however take any security risk for our players and fans.”"

It is unfortunate that the friendly will not be played, considering the quality of the two teams involved, but it is hard to fault the Belgian Football Association’s decision to cancel the game either. With the government expressing their concern for the safety of players, coaches, and fans alike, going ahead and playing the match as planned would be absolutely absurd.

Belgium is currently the number one ranked soccer country in the world, after they topped the November FIFA rankings. They have already qualified for Euro 2016 taking place in France next year, and are one of the early favorites to win the tournament.

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