Fans heading to Germany this summer to watch Euro 2024 would be well advised to travel lightly when they head to the stadiums. Overall, 51 matches will take place across 10 different venues during the tournament, which gets underway on June 14 and culminates with the final in Berlin on July 14.
And authorities have pledged stringent security checks outside grounds, while there will be a heavy police presence inside to assist stewards with any crowd issues. Supporters will be subjected to bag searches as they come through the turnstiles and UEFA have now released a comprehensive list of banned items that even includes apples and oranges.
According to a report in The Sun, fans will not be able to bring their own liquids and drinks into the ground, irrespective of whether they’re alcoholic or not. E-cigarette refills are also forbidden, as is food ‘of any kind’.
That includes small fruit items, although the authorities have confirmed that traditional German sausages will be available inside grounds for £3.77 each, a relative bargain compared to current food prices in British stadiums. And spectators can also forget about the prospect of lighting up during matches.
Smoking and using vapes won’t be permitted, and neither will cannabis joints. That’s despite their German government relaxing laws on the Class B substance being smoked in public.
Less surprisingly, flares, fireworks, whistles, megaphones and vuvuzela horns are also on the banned list. The latter item has been a source of debate ever since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, with the persistent use by fans spoiling the atmosphere at many games.
Organisers have also reacted to the ongoing conflict in Gaza by banning any flags or items deemed to be offering support to Israel or Palestine. Nazi flags will also be confiscated.
And sanctions for those caught with any forbidden items in their bag will be stringent. Those caught out will be faced with ‘expulsion’ from the stadium for that particular match, and could face being reported to the police and being handed a stadium ban.
The most severe offenders could also be banned for the entire tournament, irrespective of whether they have tickets at different venues. UEFA are keen to avoid any kind of repeat of the final of the delayed Euro 2020 tournament at Wembley, which was marred by security issues as a large number of fans stormed into the stadium without tickets.
