Ahead of this summer’s UEFA Women’s EURO, Football Supporters Europe (FSE) visited Bern, St. Gallen, and Zurich to support preparations for the Fans’ Embassies that will be active throughout the tournament.
During the visits, FSE met with UEFA, competition organisers, host city representatives, and local Fanarbeit (fanwork – similar to the German fan projekte). Key locations were also visited, including stadiums, city centres, transport hubs, and potential fan walk routes.
FSE also took part in a dedicated Host City meeting, where we presented the role and work of the Fans’ Embassies. This session helped to inform host cities about the concept, detail the support Fans’ Embassies offer to travelling supporters, and what they can contribute to local organisers this summer.
WHY THE VISITS MATTER
These visits provided crucial insight into the logistics of each host city and how matchdays are expected to unfold. Engagement with local Fanarbeit and organisers was particularly valuable, with discussions covering fan mobility, key locations, and stadium operations such as ingress, egress, and services. They also laid the foundation for closer cooperation between all parties involved and allow FSE to pass on essential information to Fans’ Embassies to help them prepare to welcome supporters in July.
LOOKING AHEAD
Following the visits, FSE’s National Teams Fans & Membership Coordinator, Jussi Hartikainen, said:
“Visiting these three host cities, engaging with key tournament stakeholders, and introducing the Fans’ Embassies concept has been incredibly beneficial for preparations this summer.
“We’re already anticipating a significant Fans’ Embassies footprint at UEFA Women’s EURO 2025, with more present on the ground or online than ever before.
“Working with stakeholders in Switzerland to understand local operations and the nuances of each city and stadium will really help us support the Fans’ Embassies in the lead-up to and during the tournament.”
The next milestone leading to Switzerland will be the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 Fan Forum co-hosted by FSE and UEFA held online in April for the Fans’ Embassies that will be offering their services during the tournament. FSE is also planning more visits to Switzerland ahead of the tournament.
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