UEFA is distributing a total of 30,000 free tickets to this year’s finalists in the European Cup competitions. This is to reward the “most loyal fans” for their support during the Corona pandemic.
As UEFA announced, the respective finalists in this year’s European Cup finals will receive “a substantial number of free tickets” for their own fans. “Each of the finalist clubs can use these tickets to reward their most loyal fans,” UEFA announced on Monday. The distribution of the tickets is in the hands of the clubs alone, but passing them on to sponsors, partners or club officials is prohibited.
The two participants in the final of the Champions League, which will take place on 28 May in St. Petersburg, can therefore expect 5000 tickets each. The clubs that reach the Europa League final in Seville on 18 May can expect 4000 tickets each. And the finalists of the Europa Conference League on 25 May in Tirana and the final of the Women’s Champions League (22 May in Turin) can expect 3000 tickets each.
UEFA President Ceferin sees action as recognition for fans’ support during Corona pandemic
“Football fans are the lifeblood of the game and we thought it would be a nice way to acknowledge the difficulties they have experienced over the last two years and how they still managed to support their teams and live their passion even when they were not in the stadiums,” said UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin.
FC Bayern München are one more Bundesliga side in the Champions League, with the German record champions taking on RB Salzburg in the last 16, with the first leg in the city of Mozart on Wednesday evening (9pm).
In the Europa League, a German quartet is still in the competition: Borussia Dortmund (against Glasgow Rangers) and RB Leipzig (against Real Sociedad) are already in action on Thursday in the play-offs for the last 16. BVB will host the Scottish champions at 6.45pm, with Leipzig kicking off at 9pm. Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen, on the other hand, will not get into the action until the round of 16.
There is no German club in the Europa Conference League after the elimination of 1. FC Union Berlin. In the women’s competition, FC Bayern and VfL Wolfsburg are still in the running, with their quarter-final matches taking place at the end of March.
FSE welcomes UEFE’s decision
The Football Supporters Europe association welcomed UEFA’s move: “The pandemic has shown once again that football is nothing without fans,” it said in a statement. With supporters showing “incredible loyalty” during the pandemic, it is now time for “those involved who benefited to recognise and reward this.” In addition, FSE also praised UEFA’s decision to extend the cap on price categories 3 and 4, in place since 2013, until 2024. “We are pleased that UEFA has made this positive gesture in recognition of the fact that the constant increase in ticket prices is preventing more and more people from watching the game. “
