Ready for kick-off: 100,000 footy-mad passengers to fly from Manchester Airport to Germany during Euro 2024
Passengers are expected to jet off in their thousands from Manchester Airport to cheer on England at the UEFA European Championships this summer.
More than 100,000 people are expected to fly from the Northern hub during the tournament to the eight German cities it serves directly – more than any other English airport outside London. Each and every city that could host an England game has direct flights from Manchester, and all of the tournament’s host cities have direct flights or are within a short trip.
The Three Lions will be hoping to go one better on their Euro 2020 final appearance and bring the trophy home. They kick their tournament off in Gelsenkirchen against Serbia on 16 June – only 45 minutes on public transport from Dusseldorf Airport, to which Eurowings offers direct flights from Manchester Airport.
Gareth Southgate’s men then travel to play Denmark in Frankfurt, and Slovenia in Cologne – both of which have airports with direct Manchester Airport flights.
England’s subsequent knock-out games could take them to other cities across Germany, including Stuttgart, Hamburg and Munich – all of which have direct Manchester Airport flights.
Here we round up the best of the action in each host city – looking at how you can get there from Manchester and key dates for football fans’ diaries, with some tips on what to see and do when you’re not taking in a game.
Berlin
Served directly from Manchester Airport by easyJet and Ryanair
Highlights: Spain v Croatia (15 Jun), Final (14 Jul)
The German capital’s Olympic Stadium will bring the curtain down on the tournament on 14 July, when it hosts the final, and will also see three group games.
Berlin’s famous Brandenburg Gate will be the centrepiece of its Fan Zone, framed by what organisers are billing as ‘the largest football goal in the world’ and complete with big screens showing all the action. A fan park will also be in operation outside the Reichstag parliament building, another of Berlin’s most popular tourist spots – so fans can combine sightseeing with enjoying the tournament.
Frankfurt
Served directly from Manchester Airport by Lufthansa
Highlights: Denmark v England (20 Jun), Switzerland v Germany (23 Jun)
England fans will be descending on Frankfurt for the group game against Denmark on 20 June, and the city will also bear witness to a tantalising clash between the host nation Germany and their near neighbours Switzerland on 23 June.
Event organisers in Frankfurt are promising a ‘rich programme of arts, culture, music and of course, football’ at its Fan Zone on the banks of the River Main. Visitors to this city can also enjoy the views from the observation deck at the Main Tower, one of the EU’s tallest buildings.
Hamburg
Served directly from Manchester Airport by easyJet and Eurowings
Highlights: Poland v Netherlands (16 Jun), Croatia v Albania (19 Jun)
Hamburg is a gritty, northern industrial city with a rich football and music tradition – sound familiar? Engand could find themselves playing a quarter final here, and if they do, fans travelling from Manchester will feel right at home. The Fan Zone is in the city’s St Pauli district, home to the football club of the same name, and also at the heart of Hamburg’s famous nightlife scene. Its Beatles statue is a nod to the time the Fab Four spent here in their formative years, performing in Hamburg’s underground music venues.
Munich
Served directly from Manchester Airport by easyJet and Lufthansa
Highlights: Germany v Scotland (14 Jun), Denmark v Serbia (25 Jun), Semi-Final 1 (9 Jul)
Munich’s Allianz Arena will be the setting for the tournament’s opening act, when the host nation face the Tartan Army on 14 June, and it will also see action at the business end of the competition, hosting a semi-final.
The city is hosting a Fan Festival, with ‘interactive experiences for all ages, live music and performances from local artists and beyond’. Organisers are also pledging ‘plenty of football activities to be enjoyed and delicious culinary delights to sample’. Munich’s beer halls are world-famous, with many dating back to medieval times.
Cologne
Served directly from Manchester Airport by Jet2.com and Ryanair
Highlights: Belgium v Romania (22 Jun), England v Slovenia (25 Jun)
Most famous for its 12th-century Cathedral, the tallest twin-spired church on the planet and a UNESCO World Heritage site, Cologne is hosting England’s final group game against Slovenia. The city’s Fan Zone is in the Heumarkt (‘Haymarket’), a historic square in the Old Town that also hosts Cologne’s annual Christmas Market.
Dusseldorf
Served directly from Manchester Airport by Eurowings
Highlights: Austria v France (17 Jun), Albania v Spain (24 Jun)
If England win their group, and then come through a last-16 tie, this is where the Three Lions will play their quarter final. Before then, Dusseldorf hosts some enticing group stage clashes involving heavyweights like France and Spain. Faith. Love. Football., a play that has been specially commissioned for EURO 2024, is taking to the stage at the city’s Fan Zone.
Stuttgart
Served directly from Manchester Airport by Eurowings
Highlights: Germany v Hungary (19 Jun), Scotland v Hungary (23 Jun), Ukraine v Belgium (26 Jun)
Stuttgart is the newest addition to Manchester Airport’s German route network, with Eurowings flights launching this May – just in time for a summer of sporting action. The city will see Scotland and host nation Germany take on Hungary in the group stage, and the winner of that group will return here for their quarter final, if they come through a last-16 tie. Stuttgart is most well-known as the home of two luxury car brands, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, both of which have museums in the city.
Dortmund
Just over one hour from Dusseldorf Airport by train
Highlights: Italy v Albania (15 Jun), Turkey v Portugal (22 Jun), France v Poland (25 Jun), Semi-Final 2 (10 Jul)
Borussia Dortmund’s huge 81,000-capacity Westfalenstadion is one of European football’s most iconic grounds, and big hitters like Italy, Portugal and France will all be here in the group stage. Dortmund will also host the penultimate game of the tournament when a semi-final is played in the city on 10 July.
With the Fan Zone Friedensplatz and the Public Viewing Westfalenpark, Dortmund offers not one but two prime Fan Festival locations.
Gelsenkirchen
Around 45 minutes from Dusseldorf Airport by train
Highlights: Serbia v England (16 Jun), Spain v Italy (20 Jun)
A small city neighbouring the much larger Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen has an outsized influence on German football as the home of one of its top clubs, Schalke 04. Schalke’s home ground has been selected to host Euro 2024 games – England are here for their opener against Serbia and will return for their last-16 tie if they win Group C. On 20 June, arguably the most hotly anticipated game of the group stage will take place here when Spain meet Italy.
A former colliery site has been given a new lease of life for the tournament as Gelsenkirchen’s official Fan Park.
Leipzig
Approximately two hours by car from Berlin Brandenburg Airport
Highlights: Portugal v Czechia (18 Jun), Netherlands v France (21 Jun), Croatia v Italy (24 Jun)
The biggest city in the former East Germany, Leipzig, was something of a footballing backwater until 2009 when soft drinks giant Red Bull took over a local team in the fifth tier and funded their promotion all the way to the top flight.
It is the only host city that England definitely won’t play in, irrespective of where they finish in their group or how far in the tournament they go – but will nevertheless host some intriguing group stage clashes involving the likes of Portugal and France, before staging a last-16 fixture.
Chris Woodroofe, Managing Director of Manchester Airport, said: “We’re proud to serve the North, connecting people with the places they want to go to, and big events like Euro 2024 are where we really come into our own. Our route network is unrivalled outside London and if you’re travelling out to Germany to watch a game, or even just soak up the atmosphere, we can get you to whichever host city you want to visit.
“Whatever the outcome of the tournament, it will be a truly memorable experience for travelling England fans and we’ll be on hand to ensure that their trips get off to the right start."