Euro 2024: 50,000 Albanian supporters ready for the match against Italy

UEFA and German authorities are preparing to welcome more than 50,000 Albanian fans to watch Saturday’s Euro 2024 clash against Italy in Dortmund, sources have told ESPN, in what will be the largest ever contingent traveling from a team other than the host country.

And such is the interest in the sport in the Balkan country that Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama suspended the national parliament for 10 days to allow more than 100 ministers and parliamentarians to attend the team’s Group B matches. against Italy, Croatia and Spain.

Although Borussia Dortmund’s Signal Iduna Park regularly accommodates more than 81,000 spectators for club matches, the stadium will have a reduced capacity of 62,000 during Euro 2024 and UEFA sources have indicated that A large number of neutral section tickets for the opening match of Group B had been purchased. bought by Albanian fans.

Many Albanian residents in Germany have bought tickets for the country’s first major tournament since Euro 2016, while reigning European champions Italy are expected to be supported by fewer than 10,000 fans, the vast majority of tickets being bought by Albanian supporters.

More than 100,000 Scotland fans are expected in Germany during the tournament, while sources said England, the Netherlands and Poland would also be attended in large numbers by traveling fans.

And Turkey’s Group F matches against Georgia, Portugal and Czechia are all expected to be dominated by large numbers of Turkish fans, as Germany is home to more than 7 million people of Turkish origin.