"Quite simply wrong"

Ferencvaros fans scandal: Interior Minister counters

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) has no sympathy for the displeasure of his counterpart.(Bild: Jöchl Martin)

In a letter to Hungary's Foreign Ministry, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) has commented on the accusation that Austria had imposed an entry ban on Ferencvaros Budapest soccer fans as "simply false". On October 23, around 600 supporters were stopped at the Austrian-Hungarian border near Hegyeshalom on their way to the Europa League match against Red Bull Salzburg.

"This shameful action is reminiscent of the worst years of Austrian oppression, is incomprehensible, unacceptable and extremely unsportsmanlike. We have never been such hosts ... The club will take the necessary legal steps," Ferencvaros subsequently threatened in a press release. 

Pyro flares on the train
In a letter to Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto, who had described the action as "outrageous and scandalous", Karner now countered: "On October 23, 2025, the Austrian police were called to assess the situation in coordination with the Hungarian authorities due to perceived incidents on Hungarian territory at the Hegyeshalom border station. The fans of the soccer club Ferencvarosi TC, who were traveling on a special train in the direction of Salzburg, were found on site. It was discovered that pyrotechnic material was being carried and used several times during the journey."

Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) has no sympathy for the displeasure of his counterpart.(Bild: Jöchl Martin)

The train could not be allowed to continue its journey for reasons of railroad law, particularly in connection with ensuring the safety of passengers. "I would like to state that the Austrian security authorities have not refused entry to Hungarian fans or Hungarian police officers, nor have they promised to do so, and I would therefore ask you to refrain from making this claim, as it is simply false," Karner continued.

"Football hooligans prepared to use violence"
Instead, he would like to thank the Hungarian authorities - in particular the Hungarian police - for their swift coordination, excellent cooperation and professional execution of the operation. "Thanks to the consistent intervention of the Hungarian police, it was possible to prevent obviously violent soccer hooligans from disrupting a peaceful soccer match," said the Austrian Ministry of the Interior. Karner appreciates the cooperation with the Hungarian authorities and calls on Szijjarto to refrain from making false reports to the Austrian security authorities.

Ferencvaros had won the match in Wals-Siezenheim 3:2. The traditional club from Budapest is currently in third place in the Europa League table - 25 places ahead of the team from Mozartstadt.