With the UEFA EURO 2008TM about to kick off on Saturday, Fans’ Embassies staff are already welcoming the first fans arriving in the host cities and are looking forward to provide support and information services to the thousands more who are planning to travel to Austria and Switzerland from all over Europe.
The Fan Embassies Programme is organised by the two European networks Football Against Racism in Europe (FARE) and Football Supporters International (FSI), and is supported by UEFA, the Austrian and Swiss Governments and the host cities.
The programme draws on the principle of providing support and services to football fans travelling abroad for international fixtures with a “by fans for fans” quality, which has allowed Fans’ Embassies to become by now a well known and essential service for thousands of supporters.
During the UEFA EURO 2008TM, visiting supporters will be able to rely on eight Stationary Fans’ Embassies, located in central areas of each host city, where they will obtain information and support.
Additionally, experienced Fans’ Embassy International teams for 10 of the 14 visiting national teams will be travelling to Austria and Switzerland from their home countries to work among their supporters, either assisting the Stationary Fans’ Embassies or setting up their own Mobile Fans’ Embassy in key areas of the host cities.
Fans will be able to draw information from the local Fan Guides that have been produced and which will be handed out at the Fans’ Embassies. The Fan Guides will be available in the each of the languages of the teams playing in the different host cities, for a total of 41 Fan Guides produced only for the first phase.
Furthermore, other relevant information for travelling fans is available on the Programme’s official website, www.fanguide2008.net, which will be updated throughout the tournament with news from the Fans’ Embassy teams.
Ashley Green, coordinator of the Fan Embassies Programme for FARE and FSI, commented, “Providing proper fan-hosting measures at international football tournaments has proved to be a key element in promoting a festive and truly multicultural atmosphere around the event. The Fan Embassies Programme at the UEFA EURO 2008TM is yet another step forward for the acknowledgment of this principle”.
“Fans’ Embassies staff will have official status throughout the tournament, while Fans’ Embassy team coordinators will be able to provide their input at meetings with stadium Security officials which have been scheduled the day before each game. I trust that our work will contribute to making the supporters’ experience in Austria and Switzerland a moment to remember”.