Friday 14 June marks the beginning of one of the highlights of the year for many sports lovers. The European Football Championship will then premiere in Germany. Unfortunately for Sweden, the national team missed the championship and instead has to follow the tournament from the sofa, like many other Swedish football supporters.
READ MORE: Sweden’s dream of football European Championship 2024 crushed
The European Football Championship 2020, which was played in 2021 due to the corona pandemic, was won by Italy. Photo: Stella Pictures Swedish supporters died in Brussels
Before the championship, however, it has not all been about football. The security situation is something German authorities and the judiciary are working feverishly with in order to offer fans and supporters as safe an environment as possible. The security situation in Sweden, like Europe, has deteriorated significantly recently.
On October 16, Swedish supporters were subjected to a terrorist act in the Belgian district of Molenbeek in Brussels, before Sweden’s European Championship qualifier against Belgium. Two people then died after a lone perpetrator fired shots at Swedish supporters.
READ MORE: The terrorist act in Brussels – this has happened
Security concerns ahead of the football European Championship in Germany
In central Berlin, a gigantic fan zone is currently being built in front of the Brandenburg Gate. A giant big screen will be installed there as well as beer and food kiosks. The area that the fan zone will cover corresponds to 24,000 square meters and will be decorated with artificial grass. In total, around 100,000 people will be able to stay at the site – at the same time.
The German security expert Hans-Jakob Schindler tells in an interview with TV4 that the German police see the area around the Brandenburg Gate as a risk zone for possible attacks.
– Unfortunately, 2024 is really the most unlucky year to have any large-scale events.
Schindler also says that the German authorities and the police looked at how Sweden organized the Eurovision Song Contest earlier this year to see how they handled the security situation during the competition.
– Of course, they followed closely what happened during the Eurovision Song Contest and the extra security measures that the Swedish authorities introduced, including a bag ban at the event. Which I think was a very smart measure, he says.
The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin will house up to 100,000 supporters who will follow the matches on large screens. Photo: Halvard Alvik/NTB scanpix/TT
DO NOT MISS:
Are you going to an EC match? You are not allowed to drink alcohol here
From “Idol” to the European Football Championship: “Terrible fun”