Scotland fans are set to outnumber Switzerland supporters by three to one in Cologne during their second match of the Euros campaign. Two fans zones with a combined capacity of roughly 20,000 have been created by authorities, but another viewing area catering for a further 50,000 fans has been put in place to accommodate the huge number of visitors. The facility, set up for England’s match against Slovenia next Tuesday, is equipped with six giant screens featuring English language commentary alongside food, drink, and numerous toilets. City officials have reportedly stated that they believe they have enough facilities for an expected 60,000 supporters.
Scottish supporters Brian Burke and his wife Ashley from Clydebank arrived in Cologne last week and have praised the city’s preparations for the tournament. The couple expressed satisfaction with the city centre fan zone and praised the reasonable prices of food and drink. Cologne has been viewed positively by many Scottish supporters, with Daniel Greig from Kilmarnock stating that he has been impressed by the city and its inhabitants, while the event businesses in the area are also expecting a boost to their trade.
However, not everyone has had a positive experience in the German city. Alan and Tracy Campbell travelled from Vancouver to watch Scotland play Germany in the Heumarkt fan zone, which they say reached capacity forcing organisers to turn away fans. The couple felt heavily outnumbered by German supporters and uncomfortable during the game. They reported booing from the German fans towards the Scottish national anthem, as well as unpleasantness from some German supporters when they discovered they were Scottish.
Cologne is a brewery city and the influx of football fans is unlikely to stress supplies of beer, according to Aly Sabri who works at the Tunnes and Schal pub around the corner from the fan zone. A festival atmosphere has largely been reported, with fans of all nationalities mixing and getting along. Not all businesses have seen a positive impact from the influx, however, with several bars outside the fan zone experiencing a drop in customer numbers due to the prevalence of cheap drink sold outside in the square
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