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Supporters were forced to evacuate sections of Sweden’s national stadium after a fire broke out during a heated Stockholm derby on Sunday afternoon.
The dramatic incident unfolded during AIK’s clash with Djurgårdens at the 50,000‑capacity Strawberry Arena, where thick smoke began billowing across the stands before emergency services quickly moved in to contain the situation.
Strawberry Arena had to be evacuated after a fire
The match was halted after around 25 minutes with Djurgårdens leading 2–1, as players headed off the pitch and fans in the affected section were guided to safety.
Television footage showed flames and heavy smoke rising from the stand, prompting firefighters to rush in while security staff cleared the area.
It remains unclear exactly what caused the fire, although reports suggested it may have been linked to flares being used inside the stadium during the derby atmosphere.
AIK’s head of security, Henrik Koch, later confirmed that no injuries were reported and the fire was successfully brought under control.
The match eventually resumed following a short delay, although play was interrupted again early in the second half after more flares were set off by home supporters.
The game ultimately finished 4-2 to Djurgardens at the £260 million stadium, which has hosted World Cup-bound Sweden since opening in 2012.
FGG says: Thankfully the situation was quickly brought under control
The most important thing here is that nobody was injured despite what could have become a far more serious incident inside a packed stadium.
Flares and pyro remain a huge talking point across European football atmospheres, and while they undeniably add to the spectacle for some supporters, situations like this show how quickly things can escalate if something goes wrong.
Credit has to go to the emergency services and stadium staff for reacting quickly and ensuring the match was able to resume safely afterwards.