These pages will be updated as and when news comes out.
Full details of the tournament can be found by clicking here.
Austria - Co-hosts Switzerland - Co-hosts Germany Czech Republic Greece Romania Poland Croatia Spain France Italy Netherlands Turkey Sweden Russia Portugal
The draw for the finals takes place on Sunday 2nd December
SALZBURG - The EM STADION - Capacity: 31,100 All Seater
About The EM Stadion The EM Stadion is completely unrecognisable from just 18 months ago when it was known as the Wals-Siezenheim and home to SV Austria Salzburg. However, with the investment both from the local government and from Red Bull, the stadium is now a much expanded 30,000 seater arena and home to the new Red Bull Salzburg club. In fact it is hard to escape from the Red Bull theme on visiting the stadium for a domestic match, with Red Bull branded everything – including the name which will revert back to the Bullen Arena after the 2008 tournament.
The new look stadium was completed during the summer of 2007 as one of the venues for Euro 2008 and was officially opened with a friendly versus Arsenal in July 2007. The stadium is one of a select few that is using the FIFA-approved artificial Ligaturf. The previous 18,200 seater stadium has had an additional tier added to bring it up to the 30,000 requirements as a tournament host. This was achieved by raising the 1,900-tonne roof by 10metres and slotting in the extra tier.
Views are excellent from any part of the stadium. Whilst the Arena doesn’t have the scenic surroundings of the Tivoli stadium in Innsbruck, it is much more pleasant that some of the stadiums we have in this country. The stadium has some really unique features such as concession stands that serve fans both inside and outside the stadium from the same points, two huge screens and one of the loudest sound systems in Austria. It also has a lighting system that wouldn’t look out of place at a disco. Inside the stadium the concourses are wide and spacious, allowing fans a view of the action whilst they queue. Access to the upper tiers of the stadium is via the staffolding towers dotted around the stadium. Like the stadium in Klagenfurt, only three sides have two tiers, with the main West Stand having a row of Executive seating instead Come June 2008 the whole area will have been completely transformed into a true football festival. The stadium will play host to the following matches:-
Match 8 – Tues 10th June 2007 – 20:45 – Group D Greece v Sweden Match 16 – Sat 16th June 2007 – 20:45 – Group D Greece v Russia Match 23 – Wed 18th June 2007 – 20:45 – Group D Greece v Spain
Who plays there? Up until the end of March 2005 the Wals-Siezenheim stadium was home to SV Casino Salzburg, the three times champions of the Austrian Bundesliga. However, in the sweep of a pen on a contract, over seventy years worth of history were erased when Red Bull bought the club on the 6th April 2005. Along with the name change, the club were “forced” to adopt a new strip and a new management team. The sale of the soul of the club was too much for many of the fans who formed their own club, buying back the original name SV Austria Salzburg and joining the regional leagues of the Salzburg region. In their first season playing in the traditional violet and white strip of the former club they finished top of the league and thus started their long climb back up to the top in a similar fashion to AFC Wimbledon.
SV Casino Salzburg were originally formed under the name Austria Salzburg in September 1933, although they had a pretty undistinguished history until they changed their name to Casino in 1978. Under the new name the team won the Bundesliga in 1994, 1995 and 1997. In 1994 the club also reached the UEFA Cup final, losing 2-0 to Inter Milan on aggregate. In 1994/95 they reached the group stages of the Champions League, finishing third in a group containing Ajax, AC Milan and AEK Athens. They almost appeared in the group stages again in 1997 when they lost to Sparta Prague in the final qualifying rounds. The takeover certainly alienated most of the fan base as Red Bull published the slogan “Salzburg – the club with no history”. They appointed Giovanni Trapattoni and Lothar Matthaus as the management team in May 2006 and in their first season the team won the league with 5 games to spare. With funds available to invest in the team few would bet against them retaining this title in 2007/08.
How to get there The stadium is located almost at the end of the runway of the airport, and is less than a kilometre from the terminal building alongside the A1 West Autobahn and opposite the Casino. It is around 3km from the city centre. Bus lines 1, 10 and 18 run from the central bus and railway station to the stadium stop in Stadionstrasse on the east side of the ground. Journey time is less than 25 minutes. Close to the stadium is the Europark commercial centre, which includes an Ikea and a massive shopping centre.
Getting a ticket Tickets can be purchased from the Bulls shop at the stadium from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday or until 2pm on a non-match day Saturday. You can also call +43 662 43 33 32 and arrange to collect and pay for your tickets on a match day. The website http://www.redbulls.com has an online ticketing function which you need to register for to use. The stadium before redevelopment was almost full on most occasions, although the new stands mean that tickets should be available for most games. Ticket prices range from €11 in the terraced area behind the goal to €22 in the East or West stand. All seats offer excellent views of the action on the pitch.
Getting around The best way to get around Salzburg is by foot. There is a network of buses which run to most places outside the city centre, ticket prices are €4.20 for a day pass. Buses radiate out from the bus station on Südtirolerplatz. The city also has a small S-Bahn network that runs to the outskirts. You can purchase the Salzburg Card for €21 which covers all public transport and access to the main tourist sights and museums in the city. This can be purchased from the Tourist office in Auerspergstrasse 6 (Tel: +43 662 889 870).
INNSBRUCK - Stadion Tivoli NEU - Capacity: 30,000 All Seater when finished Stadionstrasse 1b, 6020 Innsbruck
As part of the plans to host Euro 2008, Innsbruck’s modest Tivoli Neu stadium is having a major face lift which will take the capacity up from its current 17,100 to just over 30,000 in time for the for big kick off in June 2008. The current stadium will be developed stand by stand, resulting in a smart uniform stadium with some of the best views of any stadium in Europe.
The end result will be a uniform stadium similar in design to the Stade de Geneva in Switzerland. Four identical stands decked out in grey seats will offer 30,000 unobstructed views of the action on the pitch, and those in the south and east stands will also get an amazing view of the snow capped Tirol Mountains behind. The stadium will also feature a number of restaurants, a fitness centre and a conference centre. Quite what the club will do with 30,000 seats after the tournament is finished is unsure as currently FC Wacker only average around 5,500 for their home games.
The new stadium is due to host the Austrian national team in a friendly in October 2007 in a game versus Ivory Coast in a game that will officially open the ground. In Euro 2008 the game will hold the following matches:-
Match 7 – Tuesday 10th June – 18:00 – Group D Spain v Russia Match 15 – Saturday 14th June – 18:00 – Group D Sweden v Russia Match 24 – Wednesday 18th June – 20:45 – Group D Spain v Sweden
Who plays there? The Tivoli Neu is the current home of FC Wacker Innsbruck. The were actually only formed in June 2002, rising out of the ashes of the bankrupt FC Tirol Innsbruck. However, due to the legal complexities of the situation, the new club basically have no history prior to June 2002.
The club started in the regional leagues of the Tirol region for 2002/03 season, but soon moved up into the Red Zac Erste Liga, the second level of Austrian football. At the end of the season the club merged with Wattens who had finished 3rd in the league, and thus were allowed to take their place in the Austrian Bundesliga – a situation that would not be allowed to happen in most other European leagues. In 2004/05 the club finished 6th in the 10 team league. The following season they didn’t fair much better, whilst last season they nervously looked over their shoulders for long periods before a decision was made only to relegate one team at the end of the season.
Wacker were bottom for periods of the season until Grazer AK went into administration and were docked 28 points, thus condemning them to relegation with many games left to play. Therefore a 9th place finish wasn’t impressive but was enough to ensure another season of top flight football for the club. The current squad in dominated by Austrians, with a sprinkling of overseas players including Nigerian top scorer Olushola Olumuyiwa Aganum.
Whilst the club have not ever had the opportunity to compete for any major honours, their previous entity FC Tirol Innsbruck won the Austrian Championship for three consecutive years from 2000.
How to get there Innsbruck is only a small city and so the easiest way to reach the stadium is on foot. It is located next to the Ice Hockey Stadium alongside the A12 Autobahn. It is less than one kilometre from the main Hauptbahnhof.
If you are walking from here, come out of the station, turn left and follow Sterzinger Strasse southwards until it becomes Sudbahnstrasse. After 200metres it will join Olympiastrasse. Turn left here and follow this road over the railway and the river. After 300metres turn right into Stadionstrasse. If you want to use public transport then bus lines B, K and J run to the Tivoli stop from the old town and train station every few minutes. For the Euro 2008 tournament when the stadium will host a number of games, special buses will run in the build up to games, and after the matches at regular intervals. These will be free for match ticket holders.
Getting a ticket Tickets for every match at Euro 2008 have been sold out for many months, and the only way now of getting tickets is by applying through one of the nations football associations once they have qualified. Whilst tickets for matches may become available after the draw is made on the 2nd December, it is unlikely that a further sale to the public will yield more than a few hundred tickets per venues.
If you are here to watch an Austrian Bundesliga game then you should have no issues turning up on the day to watch a game. FC Wacker Innsbruck do sell tickets in advance via http://www.oeticket.com or by calling +43 512 588877-86. Tickets cost €14 for a place in the Nord or Sud Tribune and €18 for a seat in the Ost or West stands. Views are good from any spot although head for the Nord tribune to get a great view of the Tirol Mountains on a clear day.
KLAGENFURT - Wörthersee Stadion - Capacity: 32,000 All Seater
About the Wörthersee Hypo Arena Stadion Out of all of the stadiums constructed for Euro 2008, the new Wörthersee Stadium is the most eye-catching and innovative. It is built close to the lake of the same name, in one of the most beautiful areas of Austria. The complex will also include multi-sports facilities to include track and field arenas, fitness centre, as well as training facilities for all year round sports. It is hoped that the stadium will attract a number of high profile European clubs for their pre-season training camps, as is the fashion nowadays.
The new stadium has 32,000 seats, all offering fantastic views of the action. It has three stands with two tiers, with unusually the main stand being a lower one tier stand, although it does has a viewing gallery for VIPs. The roof is translucent, allowing plenty of light to enter into the arena. What is unique about this project is that after the tournament, parts of the stadium will be removed and transferred to other stadiums in Austria including Linz and Graz to increase their capacities. The final capacity of the stadium will be reduced to 12,000 – making it the first stadium of its kind to be built in this way. The concourse areas are wide and offer plenty of opportunities to get refreshments without missing the action. Also, unusually for a stadium all areas of the seating are accessed from this concourse, so that both the upper and lower tiers enter at the same turnstiles. The upper tiers offer a good view of the action, although the rake of the stand is very steep.
During June 2008, the stadium will host the following games in the European Championships:-
Match 4 – Sunday 8th June 20:45 – Group B Germany v Turkey Match 11 – Thursday 12th June 18:00 – Group B Croatia v Germany Match 19 – Monday 16th June 20:45 – Group B Turkey v Croatia
Who plays there? As of the start of October 2007 the Wörthersee Stadion became home to SK Austria Kärnten, a club basically created out of the ashes of FC Superfund who had finished 6th in last season’s Bundesliga. As it only can be in European football, the need to have a top flight team was too much for the local council, who went on a shopping spree that Abramovich would be proud of, and simply bought a club and moved them hundreds of kilometres to Klagenfurt. So, as of September the club, complete with new name, kit and history will start a new era. The original FC Kärnten (known as FC Kelag Kärnten) based at the tiny Kurandtplatz stadium currently playing in the Red Zac 1st League (the 2nd tier of Austrian football) must be rubbing their heads in amazement. Their history has been pretty uneventful since their formation in 1920. They did reach the Austrian Bundesliga in the 1960’s, after promotion in 1965. They went on to stay in the top division for five seasons.
They returned again for periods during the 1970’s and 1980’s before finding some consistency in the early part of this century. After winning the 2nd division in 2001, the club went on to win the Austrian Super cup in May 2001 thus qualifying for the UEFA Cup for the first time although a 4-0 defeat to PAOK Salonika was not the best debut they could have made. However, the following season they made it through again after a 5th place finish in the Bundesliga. This time they managed a victory, beating the Latvians Metalurgs before a 2nd round defeat to Hapoel Tel Aviv. To cap another excellent season in 2003, they reached the UEFA Cup again, losing to Feyenoord in the 2nd round. In 2004 the team were relegated back to the 2nd division where they have remained since, although their 2006 3rd place finish did give the fans hope of a return to the top division right up until the last few games of the season. If they did manage to get promotion this season then expect them also to move to the new stadium. As part of the ramp up events for Euro 2008, the stadium hosted the national team for the first time in a four team tournament featuring Switzerland, Chile and Japan in September 2007.
How to get there The stadium is located 3km from the shore of Lake Wörther, and 2km from the city centre. You can quite easily walk to the stadium, simply by following Siebenhügelstrasse out of the town centre. It should take no more than 20 minutes. Alternatively you can catch bus number 90 from platform 4 of the bus station in Heiligengeitsplatz, which run every 30 minutes and takes 10 minutes. A single ticket costs €1.70. After the game buses line up close to the stadium – however be warned – make sure you get on the right one otherwise you will end up at the park and ride close to Europark which is nowhere near the town centre.
Getting a ticket Tickets for every match at Euro 2008 have been sold out for many months, and the only way now of getting tickets is by applying through one of the nations football associations once they have qualified. Whilst tickets for matches may become available after the draw is made on the 2nd December, it is unlikely that a further sale to the public will yield more than a few hundred tickets per venues.
Tickets to see FC Kärnten should be much easier to pick up. Over the past few seasons the club have only managed to average around 1,500 for their home matches, and so it should not be an issue at all turning up on the day of the game and gaining entry. If you do want to buy tickets in advance, then you can book online at http://www.fckaerten.com. No decision has been made about ticket pricing for the new stadium. At the Sportzentrum Fischl, the club charged €16 for a seat in the main stand, and €10 for a place on the terraces.
Getting around Public transport in Klagenfurt is very poor, and the car is still seen as the best way to get around town. Therefore expect ridiculous traffic jams at some points in the day.
VIENNA - Ernst-Happel-Stadion - Capacity: 48,844 All Seater Meiereistrasse, Wien A-1020
About Ernst Happel Stadion The UEFA 5-Star Stadium in central Vienna is currently going through some modifications in time for the start of the 2008 European Football Championships which will see the stadium host Austria’s group matches, as well as three knock-out stage games and the Final. The stadium is certainly a favourite with UEFA – it is actually the only sub-50,000 capacity stadium to have a 5 star status and has been used on four occasions as the venue for European Champions League finals, the last time being in 1995 when Ajax beat AC Milan.
The stadium has been on its present site since 1931 when it was constructed for the Workers Olympiad. It originally had a capacity of over 70,000 and was actually expanded soon after the war to a massive 90,000. The record attendance of 92,000 came during this period in a match versus Spain. The capacity has been slowly reduced since, both for practical reasons (nobody likes playing in front of a half empty stadium) as well as for safety reasons to the current 49,844. By the time the tournament kicks off next summer it will hold just over 53,000.
The stadium is an elliptical shape, with an athletics track separating the fans from the pitch. The seats do not run down to pitch level at the moment – meaning that views are good from all places, although part of the work currently being carried out will involve constructing seating in this area. The roof was added in 1986 and is very similar in design to the AWD Arena in Hannover, or the Gottleib Daimler stadion in Stuttgart – appearing to float above the stands.
Who plays there? The stadium is used primarily by the national team as their first choice venue, although in recent years it has also been used by Fk Austria and Rapid for their Champions League matches. Derby matches between FK Austria and Rapid have also been played here over the past few seasons.
The main focus is obviously on Euro 2008 where the stadium will host seven games in the tournament – more than any other. This includes Austria’s three group games, two quarter finals, a semi-final and the final itself on Sunday 29th June.
How to get there The stadium is located on a large island which separates the River Danube and the Danube canal from the old town of Vienna. It is also an integral part of the Prater Park, and the iconic wheel can be seen from a number of the seats. The city is currently building a new U-Bahn station close to the stadium on line U2. In the meantime fans should use the U-Bahn station Wien Praterstern on U1 which is only six stops from Südbahnhof. Bus line 80a also runs to the stadium from the old town.
Getting a ticket Tickets for all of the games in Euro2008 are sold out after the initial ticket sale by UEFA in March 2007. Tickets will be available on the black market in June 2008, but as the stadium is hosting the home nation, expect them to be expensive.
For other national team games, tickets are more readily available via the official site http://www.oefb.at. If you want tickets to see any club games then these will be sold via the official club websites.
Getting around Vienna has an excellent public transport network, made up of a mixture of U-Bahn, S-Bahn, Buses and trams. The network is very dense in the city centre, and services are very frequent meaning that travelling around is simple and inexpensive. The main line in the old town is the U-Bahn line 2 which rings the historical centre.
A day pass is the best option for visitors to the city. These are available from all stations, and major stops from the red machines and cost €6.20.
BASLE- St. Jakob-Park - Capacity: 33,200 All Seater Gellertstrasse 235, Basel 4052
About the St Jakob Stadium When it was announced that the joint bid from Austria and Switzerland had been successful in hosting Euro 2008, the city council in Basel wasted no time in drawing up plans to provide a stadium that could form a legacy in terms of future European matches. With less than a year to go to the tournament, you can see that the effort (and money) has paid off.
Similar in nature to the stadiums at Berne and Geneva, the outer shell of the stadium is hidden on one side by a shopping centre, but inside the stadium is very much as you would expect from the Swiss – compact, neat and efficient. It is very British in design – four stands close to the pitch and excellent sight lines. Behind each goal there are identical two tier stands, with a screen perched on the roof. The south stand’s upper tier is smaller as there is a double layer of executive boxes here. The North stand is a three tier affair, with the roof sloping up in the corners.
The concourses are the only issue – they are quite cramped and during halftime it can be a bit of a struggle to move from one side of the stand to another.
How to get there The stadium is located in the east of the city, hemmed in by the train line to Zurich, and the motorway. It is almost the demarcation point between the centre and the suburbs. The stadium is walkable – certainly from the area close to the main station it is no more than 30 minutes away. On a matchday special football shuttle trains run from the central station to a stop behind the north stand every 15 minutes. Alternatively you can catch tram number 14 that runs through the centre of the old town – from Markplatz the stadium stop St Jakob is 8 stops or around 11 minutes away – tickets cost CHF3 each way.
If you are drivng from out of town then it may be easier to head to the areas to the east of the stadium close to the tram line and then use this excellent method of transport in.
Getting a ticket Domestic football in Switzerland is not necessarily the most passionate affair. Attendances tend to be quite low, and the big four of Young Boys, FC Basel and the two Zurich clubs fail to attract on average more than 50% stadium utilisation, meaning that tickets are always available on the day.
FC Basel are the best supported team at the current time in Switzerland, and have an average attendance north of 20,000. However, with a stadium that can hold over 30,000 sell outs are exceptionally rare. Tickets can be purchased from the kiosks around the stadium on a matchday, or if your German is good via the official website. If you are buying from the UK then you will need to pick the ticket up on the day of the game from the Fanshop on the west side of the stadium. Ticket prices range from CHF to CHF. The “hardcore” fans are located in the east lower tier. A good seat for the neutral is in the north stand upper tiers.
BERNE - Stade de Suisse Wankdorf - Capacity: 32,000 All Seater Postfach 61, Bern 22
About the Stade de Suisse The Stade de Suisse, or to give it its proper name, the Wankdorf Stadium is one of the elite number of stadiums in Europe that can lay claim to have hosted World Cup Final, when in 1954 it staged the game between West Germany and Hungary, forever known as the “Miracle of Berne”. In 2008 the bit time will return to the stadium as the Stade de Suisse will group matches and a Semi-Final of Euro 2008.
The stadium is certainly very smart and befitting for such a complete redevelopment. It is a complete two tier “box” ground, with each stand almost identical. This means that views are pretty standard from wherever you are sitting. Leg room is also very reasonable. One of the unusual things about the stadium is the next generation artificial surface that is used. Certainly the look and feel of the pitch is very different to the old style Astroturf pitches. In terms of other facilities for fans, the concourses are very wide, and there are plenty of concession stands. There are also two large screens that sit on the roofs of the stands behind the goals, allowing everyone in the stadium a view of the screens.
The original stadium, the Wankdorf, which opened in 1925 was initially built as a new home to the Young Boys Berne team. It was initially built with a capacity of 20,000, but was soon expanded during the next decade or so as the team started to make progress. When Switzerland were chosen to hold the 1954 World Cup Finals, the stadium was further expanded to hold 64,000. Facilities were pretty basic – one covered main stand and three open terraces, and this remained in place until the stadium hosted its last game in July 2003, before construction started on the new stadium in its place.
As with a number of other stadiums in Switzerland, there is a shopping centre incorporated into the stadium, with the south side of the stadium having a real multi-purpose feel with shops, cafes and restaurants that are located on the wide outer concourse area.
How to get there The stadium is located in the north area of the city, close to the main railway line and the Autobahn A6. On a matchday special buses run from the train station (Bahnhof) direct to the stadium, which compliment the route number 20 which runs every 5 minutes. A special shuttle train also runs from the Bahnhof to the Wankdorf station – taking less than 5 minutes to make the journey. Other bus routes that run close to the stadium are 28, 40 and 41.
Getting a ticket Domestic football in Switzerland is not necessarily the most passionate affair. Attendances tend to be quite low, and the big four of Young Boys, FC Basel and the two Zurich clubs fail to attract on average more than 50% stadium utilisation, meaning that tickets are always available on the day.
This season Young Boys have averaged around 17,000 meaning there are around 15,000 spare seats on matchday. The hardcore fans, as much as they get hardcore in Switzerland are based in the east lower tier. Tickets can be purchased online from the website https://ticket.stadesuisse.ch.
You can also reserve tickets via email at ticket@stadedesuisse.ch or by phone +41 31 344 88 77. Ticket prices start from CHF 20 in the lower tier behind the goal to CHF50 in the Upper tiers along the side of the pitch. A good bet for the neutral is the lower side tiers which are CHF34. Tickets go on sale on the day of the game from the windows on the corner of all stands. Internet bookings are collected from the South west corner kiosks.
ZURICH - Letzigrund Stadion - Capacity: 31,000 All Seater when finished
About The Letzigrund Stadium The new stadium in the western suburbs of Zurich represents the ambition of the Swiss football authorities in creating a real legacy from the 2008 tournament. Zurich has always had a fierce rivalry between FC Zurich and Grasshoppers, and so the authorities had a real difficult job to decide whether to develop either stadium or simple build a new one. In the end they chose to completely rebuild the Letzigrund, home of FCZ since 1925.
The new stadium opened with the Zurich derby in September 2007 and is certainly one of the most distinctive being used in the tournament in 2008. It has been primarily designed as a multi-purpose venue and so there is an athletics track, but the stands have certainly been designed to support football as well. Spectators enter the stadium from wide concourses at the top of the stands – i.e with the pitch being built some way below ground level. All of the views are unobstructed and there are two large TV screens on the North and South stands. The most unique feature of the stadium however are the floodlights. In total there are 32 floodlight spikes which pierce the roof and act both as supports as well as lighting.
The stadium will host the following matches during June 2008:-
Match 5 – Monday 9th June – 18:00 – Group C Romania v France Match 13 – Friday 13th June – 18:00 – Group C Italy v Romania Match 22 – Tuesday 17th June – 20:45 – Group C France v Italy
When the Letzigrund stadium is complete in 2007, attention will turn to the Hardturm stadium and it will be completely redeveloped as a 30,000 all seater football only stadium. Currently the Hardturm has a capacity of 17,700. The stadium is a strange affair with three stands joined together in a similar shape to Nuremburg’s Frankenstadion.
Who plays there? The rivalry that exists in Swiss football can never be called bitter, but in Zurich it is the closest you can get to a real derby. The two clubs have existed for over 80 years separated by the main railway line, but recent events have thrown them together, initially at the Hardturm whilst the new Letzigrund is being constructed, and then when Stade de Zurich is being built in 2008, the two clubs will move into FC Zurich's Letzigrund.
Grasshopper Zurich are the most successful of the two, winning the Swiss Championship on 27 occasions, to FC Zurich's 11 occasions. However, the balance of power currently lies with the latter as they have won back to back championships in 2006 and 2007. They also have a better European record, reaching the European Cup semi-finals in 1964 and 1977.
Grasshoppers were formed in 1886, making them one of Switzerland's oldest clubs by Englishman Tom Griffiths, and they certainly dominated some of the early Swiss seasons by winning the championship on four occasions by 1905. Their golden period came during the 1990's when external sponsorship monies funded an expansion of the team to include such players as Shaun Bartlett, Hakan Yakin and Christian Sforza, and coaches including Leo Beenhakker, Christian Gross and Ottmar Hitzfeld. During this period they won six Swiss Championships in an 8 year period as well as two Swiss Cups. However, it did take them four attempts to get past the preliminary rounds before they reached the Group Stages of the Champions League in 1995. However, they finished bottom of a group featuring Ferencvaros, Ajax and Real Madrid. The following season they faired slightly better by finishing 3rd in their group ahead of Rangers but behind Ajax and Auxerre.
Since then they have had to make do with the occasional UEFA Cup campaign, although they can claim the Intertoto Cup as an honour in 2006.
FC Zurich were formed ten years later in 1896 and spent many years in the shadows of their cross city rivals. In fact up until 1963 they only had two Swiss Championships to their name in terms of honours. However during the 1960's they started to dominate Swiss football, registering the title in 1963, 1966 and 1968 as well as two Swiss Cup wins during this period. In 1963 they entered the European Cup for the first time, and surpassed all expectations by reaching the Semi-Finals by beating Dundalk, Galatasaray and PSV before losing 8-1 to the team of the century Real Madrid.
The club then went through another period of domination under Timo Konietzka during the 1970's. They won the Swiss Cup in 1972 and 1973 before winning back to back titles in 1974 and 1975. In 1976 they won the domestic double for the first time. The following season they enjoyed another great run in the European Cup beating Glasgow Rangers, TPS and Dynamo Dresden before losing to eventual winners Liverpool in the semi-final.
Apart from a couple of sporadic honours in the 1980's the club had to wait until the stewardship of Lucien Favre before they really tasted honours again by winning the 2006 title with an injury time goal against champions elect FC Basel that resulted in some ugly scenes on the pitch in Basel. Their subsequent Champions League campaign only lasted 180 minutes as the team lost 302 on aggregate to Salzburg in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League. After last season's Championship win the team will be hoping for a better fairing in Europe and hopefully a Champions League Group Stages spot for the first time.
How to get there The Letzigrund is located in the western fringes of the city centre, almost adjacent to the main railway line. The new stadium will have enhanced public transport access, although for some of the big games during Euro 2008 it may be quicker to walk to the stadium by following Badenerstrasse all the way down from Wersstrasse in the old town. The walk should take around 20 minutes. Tram line 2 and 3 also run at regular intervals down Badenerstrasse to the Letzigrund.
The nearest train station to the Letzigrund and the Hardturm is Hardbrücke which is one stop from the central station. For the former head southwards across the railway bridge and take third right into Bullingerstrasse and the stadium is 400metres away. For the Hardturm head north out of the station and then take the first major left into Pfingstweidstrasse for the stadium.
Getting a ticket Tickets for every match at Euro 2008 have been sold out for many months, and the only way now of getting tickets is by applying through one of the nations football associations once they have qualified. Whilst tickets for matches may become available after the draw is made on the 2nd December, it is unlikely that a further sale to the public will yield more than a few hundred tickets per venues.
In terms of getting tickets for domestic matches, then you will have no problems in getting tickets on the day of the game. FC Zurich are the better supported of the two clubs, but they still only get an average home attendance of 10,000 even when playing at the Hardturm. The most popular match is the Zurich derby but even this does not sell out. Currently tickets can be purchased in advance from http://www.ticketcorner.com or by calling 0848 800 800 (from Switzerland only) and cost 20CHF for the Kurve’s behind the goal, to 50CHF for a seat in the main stand. No decision has been made about the cost of tickets in the new stadium.
Getting around Zurich is famous for its highly efficient, clean and safe public transport system. The network includes trams, buses, S-Bahn and pleasure boats that traverse the lake during the summer. There are maps posted at most tram and bus stops, although the Tourist Information Office located in the main station can provide these free of charge as well as selling you the Tageskarte day pass for 7.80CHF.
GENEVA – Stade de Geneva - Capacity: 30,000 All Seater 16 Route des Jeunes, CH-1227 Carouge
Located quite a way to the south of the city in the suburb of Lancy, the new Stade de Geneva is shoe horned between the La Praille shopping & entertainment complex, the main railway line and an industrial estate. It was opened in March 2003 for FC Servette, after it was deemed that their previous ground in Les Charmilles was too small (9,250) to be considered for a venue for the Swiss's bid to host Euro 2008 with Austria. When the two countries were awarded the games in 2002, a suitable site was found for the 30,000 seater stadium and work quickly commenced.
The stadium offers excellent unobstructed views from all sections, although there are perimeter fences in the stands behind the goals. Legroom is also generous. Hanging down from the roof at the back of the south stand is a huge TV screen which can be seen by everyone, even if it means craning your neck in the seats underneath it. The concourse areas are wide and spacious, meaning that crowding is kept to a minimum. Concession stands also have multiple serving points and queues move quickly.
The stadium has a real feel of some of the new English grounds such as Southampton's St Mary's stadium and Coventry's Ricoh Arena. It has one stand that is noticably bigger than the others, with the roof curving down to meet the end stands but little has been done or incorporated to make it have a unique feel. Next to the stadium is the newly constructed Ramada Encore hotel which will become very popular once the tournament in June 2008 commences. The city’s government has big plans for the whole development - In fact, the presence of FC. Servette as tenants is almost forgotten.
The first big match the stadium hosted was the friendly between Argentina and England in November 2005. A sell out 29,500 crowd watched an absolute classic match with two Michael Owen goals in injury time giving England a 3-2 win. The match was also an excellent experience in policing tactics for the Swiss in the build up to Euro 2008.
How to get to the Stade de Geneva The stadium hasn’t really been built with public access in mind. It is located to the south of the city centre in the Lancy area. On matchdays public transport is free for ticket holders. The ground can be reached in a number of ways:-
By Tram – Tram’s 12 and 13 run from the centre of Geneva to close to the stadium. The trams terminate at Bachet de Pesay, a five minute walk to the south of the stadium. The journey from the city centre should take around 20 minutes. From Cornavin station tram number 15 runs in the direction of Lancy-Pont-Rouge in around 15 minutes. From here the stadium is a 10 minute walk, following the pathway alongside the dual carriageway.
By Bus - There is a direct bus from Cornavin station on matchdays. Route D runs about every 10 minutes and takes 20 minutes, dropping you off opposite the stadium’s east stands.
By Train - Whilst there is a platform behind the main stand where trains run back to the city centre, there are currently no plans to use this for matchday services. Instead catch a train from Cornavin to Lancy-Pont-Rouge & then walk the 10minutes or so down the side of the dual carriageway.
From the airport, there is an easy, if time consuming way to reach the stadium via Bus 18 which runs every 20 mins from outside Arrivals to stops close by Lancy-Pont-Rouge. Allow 40 mins for this journey in matchday traffic. For big games, such as when England took on Argentina in November 2005, special buses were provided after the match to transfer fans back to the airport. A taxi from the airport to the stadium will cost around CHF40 (£22).
Around the Stade de Geneva The new stadium is located in the southern suburbs of the city, close to the area known as Carouge. It is next door to the La Praille shopping and entertainment complex, Apart from a American-themed diner in the cinema, there are no bars in the vicinity of the stadium. Click here to buy the full guide to Geneva.
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Located quite a way to the south of the city in the suburb of Lancy, the new Stade de Geneva is shoe horned between the La Praille shopping & entertainment complex, the main railway line and an industrial estate. It was opened in March 2003 for FC Servette, after it was deemed that their previous ground in Les Charmilles was too small (9,250) to be considered for a venue for the Swiss's bid to host Euro 2008 with Austria. 