BILBAO, Spain :Bilbao braces for the expected influx of more than 50,000 English football fans as Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United prepare to square off in the Europa League final on Wednesday.
Spanish authorities have fortified Athletic Bilbao’s San Mames Stadium, located in the city centre, with a three-metre high fence and stringent security measures.
The municipal services in Bilbao, including mobility, cleaning, and security, have been significantly disrupted due to the extensive plans set in place to ensure the event proceeds in an orderly and secure manner, as stated by Bilbao’s City Council. This has led to locals having to adjust their regular routines.
More than 3,000 police officers will be deployed in the city and will oversee three security rings around the stadium, restricting access only to ticket holders and local residents starting on Wednesday morning.
Additionally, fan zones equipped with giant screens, amusement activities, and more than 60,000 litres of beer have been set up outside the city centre to attract fans without match tickets away from the security perimeter.
Each fanbase was allocated almost 15,000 match tickets, with the remainder given to UEFA sponsors or already secured by neutrals, as the two struggling clubs battle for the title that will qualify one of them for next season’s Champions League.
To minimise the risk of confrontations, the two sets of fans will be kept in separate areas, 2.5km apart, before kickoff.
“We are very excited and proud to host this game. We want (English fans) to see what we are like, the passion we feel, the good values of football and our culture,” Bilbao mayor Juan Mari Aburto told reporters on Tuesday.
Accommodation costs have skyrocketed due to Bilbao’s limited hotel capacity of approximately 13,000 beds. Many fans have had to stay as far as Cantabria, Gipuzkoa, or Alava, all over an hour’s drive from Bilbao.
Border controls have been reinforced by the Spain National Police. The airport anticipates handling three times the usual number of flights this week, including 174 private jets between Tuesday and Wednesday.
Despite the significant number of fans, it is not expected to come even close to the 150,000 Scottish and German fans that descended on Seville three years ago for the Europa League final between Rangers and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Despite the Spanish chief of police’s concerns for ‘serious problems’ at the time, no major incidents were reported, and fans filled the sold-out Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, putting on a show for the ages.
