What Happens if a Football Match is Abandoned

To all of us, football matches always end in one of three ways – a win, a draw, or a defeat for the team that you support, or the game that you are watching. Matchdays are a recurring cycle that are always played and decided on a weekend.

However, that is not always the case, and on a number of rare examples, football matches do not end and are abandoned. These are games that have begun, and goals have been scored, but points have not been put on the table.

So, what happens in this scenario?

Ajax's match has been abandoned after just 10 minutes due to the Groningen fans protesting after their relegation from the Eredivsie ❌💥 pic.twitter.com/87CTOkqf6U

— SPORTbible (@sportbible) May 14, 2023

Do teams have to replay the match, or if a team is winning when the match is abandoned, do they take all of the points?

What Happens?

Firstly, it is incredibly unlikely to see a football match being abandoned, but once every blue moon, it does happen.

Games can be abandoned for a variety of reasons, such as weather conditions, severe injuries or illness to a player or fan at the match, or serious damage that has occurred to a stadium.

Alternatively, a game can also be suspended, stopped, or abandoned because of any potential foul abuse, language, or threats aimed towards a player.

For example, in 2019, England faced Bulgaria in a qualifying fixture for Euro 2020. The qualifier was held in Sofia, and twice during the game, play was forced to stop due to racist chanting towards Raheem Sterling and several English players.

According to the English FA, the rules state; “if, in the opinion of the Match Referee a matter cannot be dealt with satisfactorily and the welfare of any participants remains at risk, in terms of the threat of continued abuse or violence, or a significant injury to one or more of the participants, they can consider abandoning the match.”

Within the FA’s rules, it is also detailed that “no spectators or unauthorised persons are permitted to encroach onto the pitch area,” meaning that, if necessary, a game can either be delayed or abandoned, due to a possible pitch invasion.

On the other hand, FIFA’s rules on match abandonments rule that if the match is abandoned before the 75th minute, the game will then be typically replayed in its entirety. However, if the abandonment is before the 75th minute, the competition’s organising body has the decision to either schedule a replay or to allow the score at the time of the abandonment.

Has It Ever Happened Before?

For fans who typically watch the Premier League, and the Premier League only, the concept of a match being abandoned will be an extremely foreign idea.

However, it does happen, even in recent times, and at the top levels of European football.

Sampdoria vs Salernitana

38 players used, 5 different goalkeepers, 4 coaches and €millions wasted in flawed recruitment tells the story of a wretched season for #Sampdoria

Relegation to Serie C for the first time in the club’s history

This lot deserve so much betterpic.twitter.com/RLYy4ZOFT1

— Calcio England (@CalcioEngland) May 13, 2025

Sampdoria and Salernitana met just one month ago in the Serie B relegation playoff, with both teams playing for their survival. Sampdoria took the first leg, winning 2-0 before the second leg would be hosted by Salernitana.

The 1990-91 Serie A champions continued their form from the first leg, netting two early goals in the game to go up 4-0 on aggregate. However, due to a number of reasons, the game did not end, with fans of Salernitana voicing their opinions in a dangerous and aggressive way.

Following the away side’s second goal, the home fans in Salerno turned on their team, throwing flares, firecrackers, and chairs onto the field towards the direction of the players. The game had to be halted on several occasions before the players were taken off the pitch with 65 minutes played, as Serie C relegation looked a given for Salernitana.

The two teams attempted to restart the game 10 minutes later, but fans continued to throw objects onto the pitch, causing the match to be abandoned.