The Croatian national football team has been docked a point after a swastika was displayed on the pitch before a European Championship qualifier.

The penalty is understood to be the most serious ever imposed by Uefa, the governing body of European football.

Uefa also fined Croatia €100,000 (£70,000) and ordered the team - now one point ahead of Italy at the top of the qualifying group for next year’s tournament - to play their remaining home game without any fans present.

The match against Bulgaria in October must also take place away from the Stadion Poljud in Split, where the swastika appeared in June.

The Italy game was being played behind closed doors after Croatian fans’ racist chanting during a match against Norway in March.

The Croatian Football Federation has three days to decide whether to appeal.