The Czech Republic may have cruised to a 6–0 victory over Gibraltar in their final World Cup qualifier, but the emphatic scoreline was soon overshadowed by controversy after the final whistle.

On Tuesday, the Czech FA’s executive committee issued a reprimand confirming that Tomáš Souček will be removed as captain for the team’s next fixture. In addition, the squad will not receive the bonuses normally awarded for Monday’s win.

During the match, chants of “Fight for Czechia” echoed from behind one of the goals. The ultras group Fanatismus Česko had announced in advance that they planned to voice their displeasure over a disappointing run of performances, which included a draw at home to Saudi Arabia, a damaging qualifying loss in the Faroe Islands, and an unconvincing friendly victory over San Marino.

In response, the players chose not to salute the supporters after full-time—breaking with their usual tradition and triggering widespread criticism.

“The behaviour of the players overshadowed both the on-field performance and the important achievement of reaching the World Cup playoffs,” the FA said in a statement.

The association emphasised that no player is above the national team or its fans:

“No player stands above the country they represent, nor above supporters who spend money, time, and energy backing the team. Fans have every right to express dissatisfaction with recent poor results.”

According to the FA, the squad should have acknowledged the ultras instead of walking off:

“They should have recognised the active supporters not only for last night’s backing, but for their tireless support throughout the entire qualifying campaign, despite several unconvincing displays.”

As a consequence, the committee decided on disciplinary measures. Souček will relinquish the armband for the next match, and the players’ bonuses will be redirected to charitable causes.

Despite the off-field fallout, the Czechs finished second in their qualifying group behind Croatia, posting five wins, two defeats and a draw. They will now go into a playoff in March for a place at the 2026 World Cup.

Low points in the campaign included a heavy 5–1 defeat in Croatia in June and a 2–1 loss in the Faroes in October—a result that led to the dismissal of coach Ivan Hašek.