As Frankfurt prepares to host England’s European Championship fixture against Denmark, a piece of stern advice has been issued to supporters: do not jump in the river Main.
The idea of hurling yourself into a tributary of the Rhine is unlikely to be at the forefront of many people’s thinking, especially given the dismal weather that has so for characterised the tournament in Germany. But fans did so at the 2006 World Cup, when England last played in the city, and authorities are leaving no stone unturned in making sure this game passes off without incident.
So far, that has been the case. After the arrest of a solitary England fan before the match with Serbia in Gelsenkirchen last weekend, local police said that “99.7%” of England fans “had behaved exceptionally well”. On Wednesday Frankfurt police were reporting no further arrests and the hope will be that things stay that way. The Group C match with Denmark, England’s opponents in the semi-finals of the last Euros (which England won 2-1 thanks to a controversial penalty), has still been categorised as “high risk” by police. The categorisation gives them access to greater resources and an escalating plan of action should there be trouble. But the emphasis, local police say, will be on “de-escalation and communication”.
Around the centre of Frankfurt, and in the fan park that stretches for more than a kilometre down the banks of the Main, all was calm 24 hours out from the match. With heavy rain coming down for much of the day on Wednesday, public gathering was at a minimum, but the flags of St George were beginning to appear, pinned on the awnings of kebab houses and cafes. Outside Reilly’s Irish bar, which served as a de facto fan HQ in 2006, Oasis was heard coming from the speakers, but crowds were still thin.
There are no official figures on how many England fans will travel to the match, with estimates at anything between 10,000 to 20,000. But Frankfurt, Germany’s financial capital, is a very different city to Gelsenkirchen and a hub for fans from many countries travelling to matches elsewhere in the country. As well as English and Danish fans there has been a substantial Scottish contingent in the city, and Frankfurt’s Turkish community took centre stage on Monday night. After Turkey’s 3-1 victory over Georgia there was a two-hour parade of cars honking their way around the business district.
Vigilance will remain the watchword when it comes to disorder, but supporter groups are also focused on making sure the experience is safe for fans. The Football Supporters’ Association is waiting for a response from Uefa to submissions it made after the nightmare experienced by thousands of fans trying to get in and out of the Schalke stadium on Sunday night. They are also in contact with Spanish and Italian colleagues, whose teams meet in Gelsenkirchen in the first game of the day on Thursday. If England top their group they will return to Gelsenkirchen in the round of 16
Insufficient public transport is unlikely to be a problem in Frankfurt, with the main train station one of the busiest in Europe and regular trains going to and from the 58,000-capacity Frankfurt Arena. The fact that most supporters will already be in the city and not convening on the day as in Gelsenkirchen should also make a difference. Kick-off is at a more amenable hour too, 6pm local time, meaning everything will be open as fans return from the match (it also limits the time for pre-match drinking).
In fact, the main concern may yet be the weather, with more rain expected on Thursday afternoon and reports circulating that the game could be played under a closed roof to prevent disruption. Once all that is taken into consideration, there remains only one thing left to worry about: whether Gareth Southgate’s side can earn another valuable three points.
