Croatian police have launched an investigation into antisemitic chanting by Hajduk Split supporters ahead of their Conference League match against Ajax on Thursday. Online video footage showed fans chanting outside the venue about Auschwitz and voicing support for Adolf Hitler. Prior to kickoff, a large march of supporters moved toward the stadium led by a yellow vehicle with a coffin marked "Ajax" mounted on its roof, targeted at the Amsterdam side due to their historical association with the Jewish community.
Local law enforcement informed BBC Sport that arrests have already been made regarding the chants, with officers having identified several more individuals who are currently being tracked down. The behaviour was condemned on X by the Croatian government, which stated: "We strongly condemn the unacceptable chants glorifying the Nazi regime that were recorded among a portion of fans before today's match in Split. Such shameful behaviour constitutes a negation of sport and the democratic values that modern Croatia cherishes." Independent human rights ombudswoman Tena Simonovic Einwalter, appointed by parliament, also labelled the occurrence a "manifestation of hatred and intolerance".
On the pitch, Hajduk Split, who ended last season as runners-up in Croatia's top tier, claimed a 2-1 victory over Ajax in a game halted for roughly 10 minutes due to fireworks inside the stands. The Croatian club subsequently issued an apology on social media that did not specifically address the antisemitic chants, writing: "When situations like today happen, we are obliged to apologise to those who came to the stadium to cheer on the team that returned to European competitions after 16 years. We also apologise to the organiser of the competition and to the Ajax management and players who witnessed scenes we do not want Europe to remember us by."
UEFA possesses no jurisdiction over matters occurring away from stadium grounds, though it can penalise incidents inside the stands or stadium precinct. Croatian football has previously received sanctions for discriminatory acts, including in 2015 when the Croatian Football Federation apologised for a swastika marked onto the turf ahead of a Euro 2016 qualifier against Italy. Earlier this month, Croatia's Nations League clash with England was contested under a stadium ban—attended only by children and accompanying adults—stemming from supporter discrimination against France last year. Commenting on the persistent issue, Simonovic Einwalter stated: "Unfortunately, instead of decreasing and stopping, such phenomena are spreading more freely and intensifying, which is not surprising after previous similar behaviours were met with insufficient reaction from high-ranking officials and competent bodies."