Explained: The unique reasons Ajax vs Feyenoord derby clash has been postponed

Feyenoord and Ajax were set to go head-to-head on Sunday in the first Klassieker of the 2024-25 campaign. But Rotterdam's mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb has announced the match cannot be played due to police strikes that are taking place in the country.

Dutch police will take action as they push for a better early retirement scheme. Four matches have already been affected by the strikes in the past two weeks, and due to the rivalry between Feyenoord and Ajax Aboutaleb saw no option but to postpone the match. Despite away fans not being allowed to attend the Klassieker for some time, disorder has still taken place whenever the two sides have met.

Aboutaleb said: "This is a decision that I have taken in consultation with the safety triangle. The safety of the players, but also of the public, cannot be sufficiently guaranteed without the deployment of the police. This decision was communicated to the parties involved this afternoon."

Owing to the international break, both sides are not set to play another league game now until the weekend of September 14/15, after the international break. Francesco Farioli's Ajax are already behind schedule due to their European commitments.