Germany's clash with the Netherlands cancelled due to "concrete security threat"

Germany v The Netherlands at the HDI Arena has been cancelled ©Getty Images

The friendly match between Germany and The Netherlands in Hannover has been cancelled this evening due to a "concrete security threat".

Fans were evacuated from the HDI Arena less than two hours before the kick-off time and police were seen searching between the seats.

City Police President Volker Kluwe told BBC Sport that "there were plans for some kind of explosion", while German Chancellor Angela Merkel was due to attend the game.

Unconfirmed reports claim police found a truck bomb disguised as an ambulance outside of the stadium.

"We assume that this threat is serious, and we cannot guess what the attackers will do instead," Kluwe added.

Players from both teams were moved to a safe place and were not kept inside the venue, though it has been confirmed that Germany did not enter the Arena before it was evacuated.

Those fans who had made their way to the stadium in Hannover were told to leave the Arena by loudspeaker, while a heavy police presence has arrived at the ground.

"The visitors (spectators), who were already in the stadium at that time, were asked to leave the stadium without panicking," a brief statement read.

Reports have since emerged that the 14,000-capacity TUI Arena in the German city was evacuated, which was due to host a Söhne Mannheims concert, with Police reportedly telling ABC the threat stems further than just the stadium.

Supporters who were already inside the stadium were evacuated after a "concrete security threat" was discovered ©Getty Images

Hauptbahnhof’s Central Station, the main train station in the city, has also been evacuated after a suspicious package was found, it has been reported.

"There is a general threat," German Minister of the Interior Thomas de Meizere said in a press conference.

"Regularly we receive information about threats against Germany, especially after an attack like in Paris.

“We have to analyse them, and need to judge them properly and fast.

“Ahead of this match we got more information that made us make the decision to cancel the game.

"It was an extremely tough decision to cancel the match which was made after many pieces of information indicated a concrete threat."

Germany, the current world champions, had been against the idea of the friendly going ahead after the Stade de France was targeted in the Paris terror attacks on Friday when they were in action against the hosts.

Around 80 players, officials and other staff members from Germany spent the night in the dressing room as the chaos ensued around the French capital, with 129 people killed following a series of co-ordinated attacks in various regions of the city.

Fans of both teams joined in with France's national anthem "La Marseillaise" before the nation's friendly with England at Wembley Stadium ©Getty Images

It follows Belgium's contest with Spain, which had been due to be staged in Brussels today, also being cancelled due to security concerns last night.

The country has become the centre of attention following the atrocities in the French capital on Friday (November 13), with Brussels born Salah Abdeslam now identified as a key suspect.

France's match with England at Wembley Stadium in London went ahead was planned and proved to be an emotional occasion as home supporters joined their French counterparts in a stirring rendition of their national anthem "La Marseillaise" before the friendly got underway.

The words to the anthem were shown to the 71,223 in attendance on big screens inside the stadium, while supporters in the designated home section of the ground held up cards to display a mosaic of the French flag La Tricolore.

Players from the two teams, who wore black armbands as a mark of respect, then embraced for a poignant group photograph before they took part in a minutes silence in memory of those who lost their lives in the attacks in Paris.

England won the match 2-0 thanks to goals in either half from Tottenham Hotspur's Dele Alli, making his first start for his country, and captain Wayne Rooney.