Germany vs. Netherlands Canceled After Threat Of Terrorism At HDI Arena

An international friendly match Tuesday night between European powerhouses Germany and the Netherlands has been canceled shortly before kickoff, as police cited a "concrete threat" against the city of Hanover.

Supporters were already lining the stands at HDI Arena for the matchup as each side was ready to play only four days after coordinated attacks terrorized Paris, including just outside of Germany’s friendly with France at Stade de France in Saint-Denis.

"The match has been canceled. Spectators are being asked right now to leave the stadium quickly, but without panic," a police spokesperson told German media.

There were two separate incidents before the match’s outright cancelation that initiated police’s decision to evacuate the stadium.

The first happened nearly two and a half hours before the match’s scheduled start time of 2:45 p.m. ET. Police originally denied spectators access to the stadium after they discovered a “suspicious suitcase.” However, the stadium doors were eventually opened, and then another "object" was found, the Associated Press reported.

Similar to the attacks in Paris when French president Francois Hollande was in attendance, German chancellor Angela Merkel was expected to attend the match.

Prior to the match, Germany head coach Joachim Low had described the game as a symbol of unity.