This summer, Frankfurt – one of ten host cities of the UEFA EURO 2024 – is celebrating a spectacular festival of football in the heart of Europe. Themed “United by Football. Vereint im Herzen Europas”, this open-air sports extravaganza takes place from 14th June to 14th July 2024, attracting fans from all across the globe. Aside from the actual stadium experience, visitors will also have an official tournament fan zone available for their viewing pleasure, stretching out over 1.4 kilometres along the northern bank of the River Main and offering fans of all ages a truly fantastic football feeling.
On Wednesday, 12th June, the metropolis on the River Main will get into the mood for the men’s continental football championships with an extraordinary audiovisual opening ceremony held on “Flößerbrücke” bridge. The eastern side of the bridge will be veiled in the myriad colours of participating EURO countries and then transformed into a spectacular backdrop accompanied by a special choreography of light and sound. This mixture of visual and audio production – supported by spotlights illuminating the night sky and underscored by famous original commentary from past EURO tournaments – is guaranteed to immerse audiences in an unforgettable experience of the senses.
“The Host City Frankfurt is ideally prepared for the tournament and looks forward to welcoming football fans from all across Europe. We are happy and proud that Frankfurt will be hosting a total of five matches during the UEFA EURO 2024, and will also be holding the Europa League final in 2027, a trophy our beloved Eintracht Frankfurt won in Seville in 2022,” said Lord Mayor Mike Josef during a recent press conference.
“Blue EURO flags have been flying throughout the city for several weeks now, whetting the appetite of locals and visitors for the upcoming tournament,” the lord mayor added. “The Fan Embassy Hauptwache in the heart of downtown Frankfurt will serve as the primary point of contact for fans from Europe and the world. It was officially branded last week, so football fans are certain not to overlook it.”
Mr Josef also thanked the 1,600 volunteers who will be offering fans assistance and advice throughout the four weeks of the tournament. “The Volunteer Meeting Point at the Ratskeller was in fact opened today, the main work hub for the majority of our volunteers,” Mr Josef continued.
Diana Stolz, Hessian Minister for Families, Senior Citizens, Sport, Health and Welfare, was also present at the press conference. She added: “As was the case during the Summer Fairytale of 2006, the City of Frankfurt and the Federal State of Hessen will be presenting themselves as a cosmopolitan and jovial host for teams and fans from all across Europe. I am certain that the sports state of Hessen will show itself from its best side during the tournament, and that we will use the success and impetus of the UEFA EURO 2024 to attract more members and honorary volunteers to our state’s sports clubs and associations. I would like to thank all participants, especially the City of Frankfurt, for the excellent work performed to date and would also like to say that I am greatly looking forward to five thrilling football matches held at Arena Frankfurt as well as many more highlights to be experienced in the countless fan zones and public viewing areas spread throughout the state.”
A 144-square-metre “Big Screen” and a “Floating Pitch”
Meanwhile, Thomas Feda, managing director of the Frankfurt Tourist+Congress Board, explained that every one of the 51 matches of the UEFA EURO 2024 will be broadcast live and uncut on a total of ten LED screens, some of which have been set up on repurposed freight carriages. The most spectacular of these ten viewing options is the 144-square-metre big screen floating on the River Main itself. This massive screen is anchored near “Friedensbrücke”, close to the riverbank. The scenic views of the River Main and the Museum Embankment on the far side of the river are sure to impress, enabling fans to follow the artistry of Europe’s premier footballers amidst a truly unique atmosphere. All in all, the Fan Zone will be able to accommodate some 30,000 fans simultaneously.
Countless activities taking place within the Fan Zone invite visitors to get involved in the action during the course of the four-week tournament. For one, fans will have the opportunity to put their own football skills on public display. Speed-Goal, Robo-Keeper and Speed-Kick are just a few of the attractions encouraging fans to go for goal – either with power or precision. And there’s of course plenty of fun and games planned for younger fans as well.
One very special highlight of the Fan Zone is the “Floating Pitch”, a small-scale football field swimming on the River Main. Two additional small-scale football pitches are situated on dry land, inviting fans to a leisurely kickabout. Various charitable institutions will be on hand to promote inclusive football activities. Children, meanwhile, will have the chance to take part in open football training sessions.
There’s also plenty of digital football on offer at the Fan Zone. Come and show off your skills at one of our eSport consoles, challenge players from other host cities, or simply look over the shoulders of eSport professionals “at work”.
Before, during and after the public viewing sessions, but mostly on match-free days, the Fan Zone Mainufer – in collaboration with numerous clubs, associations, cultural institutions and other partners – will be presenting to fans a wide range of sporting activities as well as various cultural offers, ideal for families and fans of all ages. Attractions will include countless local, regional and international performers, DJs, live music, talk and comedy shows, theatre performances and much, much more.
A star-studded programme of music and culture
Another Fan Zone highlight is the “Main Stage”. Situated alongside “Friedensbrücke”, it opens up for the tournament’s knock-out-phase from 03rd July onwards and showcases artists like the successful singer-songwriter, Michael Schulte (07th July); the Belgian singer-songwriter, Milow (“You and me”, “Howling at the moon”, “Ayo technology”, 12th July); the Hessian cult-band, Rodgau Monotones (11th July); as well as ClockClock (04th July) and LOI (08th July), both hailing from Mannheim. The Icelandic singer, Ásdís (12th July), completes the musical programme on show on the Main Stage.
Situated between the “Untermainbrücke” and “Eiserner Steg” bridges and just a stone’s throw from St Leonhard’s Church, the “Skyline Stage” will be hosting performances by the American rock and blues band, Welshly Arms (08th July), the “Dubioza Kolektiv” from Bosnia and Herzegovina (07th July), and the German Indie acoustic/deep house newcomer, Paul Wetz (13th July).
Further acts on the Skyline Stage will include, amongst others, the sports journalists and football talk all-stars, Philipp Köster and Stephan Reich. Their brand-new live programme, called “Die andere Geschichte des Fußballs”, features stories, videos and anecdotes from the world of football.
Henni Nachtsheim, part of the popular comedy duo, “Badesalz”, will join the video-podcaster, Basti Red, for a live chat on the subject of football, EURO 2024 and the games of the day. Michael Quast, meanwhile, will use the stage to take a closer look at football-related matters together with an interesting assortment of guests (Please note that these Skyline Stage attractions are generally performed in German language only.).
Also “on the ball” will be the English world freestyle football champion, Andrew Henderson, who is sure to dazzle audiences with his sensational ball skills. He is scheduled to perform his tricks on the “Presenter Stage” alongside the Fan Zone’s “Big Screen” on 23rd July. We’ll only reveal this much: Andrew plans to break a world record at this show.
Open-air cinema and classical music performances on match-free days
On days when no games are being played, the Fan Zone will be hosting special theme days and theme evenings along the River Main. Developed in co-operation with the German Film Institute & Film Museum, the “Open-Air Cinema Festival” (27th and 28th June) will be showing short and feature-length films played outdoors along the riverside – all of them football-themed. To start with, the “Lotus Sports Club” (27th June) will take audiences on a documental journey to Southeast Asia, where they’ll be introduced to Cambodia’s very first LGBTQ+ football team. Further football-themed films on show will include “Trautmann” (27th June) and “Libero” (27th June), which offer a closer look at the extraordinary lives of the German goalkeeper, Bert Trautmann, who achieved legendary status in England after the Second World War, and “Kaiser” Franz Beckenbauer, one of the greatest footballers of all time. Another cinema classic, “Das Wunder von Bern” (“The Miracle of Bern”, 28th June), recounts the story behind the completely unexpected victory of the German national football team at the 1954 World Cup in Bern, Switzerland. Finally, the children’s film “Zu weit weg” (“Too far away”, 27th June) deals with the friendship and rivalry between two boys who were forced to leave their home but nevertheless shared a passion for football.
Friends and lovers of classical music will also have a colourful programme awaiting them: On Saturday, 13th July, Oper Frankfurt will host an evening of opera on the Main Stage. For jazz enthusiasts, there’s the performance of the Matthias Vogt Trio, featuring Maren Kips (11th July), and the London-based jazz and hip-hop sensation, Alfa Mist (11th July).
The Fan Zone will of course feature plenty of activities for families as well. A diversified programme of events held in a family-friendly atmosphere will be presented on the freight carriage stages throughout the course of the tournament. The “Family Days” event, coinciding with the start of summer vacation, will bring to the stage a colourful music programme featuring artists such as Nilsen (13th July), Herr Jan (12th July) and Bürger Lars Dietrich (07th July). The programme range also includes numerous children’s activities for keeping the little ones entertained.
The football associations and fan clubs of the nations playing in Frankfurt will also be on hand with their very own stage programmes, fan matches and so on, bringing even more international flair to the Fan Zone.
The Fan Zone is graciously supported by various official UEFA sponsors as well as our local football sponsors – hr3, Mainova AG and FES Frankfurter Entsorgungs- und Service GmbH.
Countless food and beverage stands located throughout the Fan Zone will provide sports and culture enthusiasts with a fine selection of international specialities.
For the complete programme of events as well as all dates, times and frequently asked questions (FAQs), please visit our special online portal at www.fanzonefrankfurt.de.
Special notice regarding the fenced-off public viewing area
As a rule, the Fan Zone Mainufer is freely accessible to the general public during official opening hours. There is however a special area between the “Friedensbrücke” and “Holbeinsteg” bridges that may be fenced off if the maximum visitor capacity of the “Big Screen” area is reached.
Opening hours of the Fan Zone Mainufer
- 14th June – 26th June: Daily from 1:00 pm till midnight
- 27th June – 14th July: Monday to Friday from 3:00 pm till midnight, Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 pm till midnight
- Conclusion of the musical program: Sunday to Thursday, 10:00 pm; Friday and Saturday, 11:00 pm
Important information for media representatives
Please note that a special press accreditation is required to gain access to the Media Zone of the Fan Zone Mainufer. Applications for this accreditation must be submitted at least 48 hours in advance. Click the link below to register.
Further information on media matters, including accreditation for the Fan Zone Mainufer, is available from our special Media Guide, which you’ll find at https://tinyurl.com/jbre2nnb.