The Women’s European Championship 2025 ends on Sunday where it started – in Basel. The final round is a complete success for the city – and practically without negative topics. A “small trick” particularly caused a sensation.
When Kim Kulig goes across the street at St. Jakob-Park, she is happy every time she sees the green footballers on the pedestrian traffic light. “This is a real eye-catcher”says the former German international, who has been training FC Basel’s women for two years. “These things touch me so much because we all like to be role models. This applies to the players as well as to the trainers.”
The traffic light kickers have been one of the favorite photo of people in Basel since the beginning of July – with locals and tourists alike. “That was a small trick with great effect”Sabine Horvath is happy, who heads the European Championship project at the city.
Football lights provide many positive reactions
The idea comes from a company in St. Gallen, where the campaign failed. With traffic signs is not to be trifled. In Basel – the city moves into its traffic lights from this company – but it was decided quickly and quickly. Especially since not a lot of money had to be taken in hand. The black outlines are simply glued to the green light of the traffic light.
Often people stay at the traffic lights for too long because they look and take photos. Then you have to wait for the next green phase.
“The employees were already addressed during the assembly, and we received a lot of positive feedback from all over the world,” reports Horvath, who can also quickly invalidate the concerns of what that costs again “.
One of the football camps in Basel.
“There was no one who had something against the European Championship”
In general, the European Championship in Basel is quite a success story. “There are practically no negative topics,” said the project manager, who, after the protracted discussions about the costs of the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, finds this spring that “the European football championship has no perceptible critics. That was different at ESC and even needed a referendum. But there was no one who had something against the European Championship.”
Vegetarian food instead of hooligans
Horvath has given up their permanent position at the city in order to be able to devote themselves entirely to football. Already for the 2008 men’s European Championship, when Basel was also a venue, she was part of the organizational team. For months, the right police concepts were discussed at the time. How can you best separate the fan groups? What can you do preventively against the expected hooligans? How do you deal with the many drunk fans?
However, the Swiss quickly concentrated on other topics, especially through the exchange with those responsible for 2022 in England. “There is another audience in women’s football. Other people come, other fans: 50 percent are women, plus many children,” Horvath lists.
Instead of hooligans, it was therefore about vegetarian food in the stadiums and additional games on the fanzones. Instead of strict fan separation about common fan marches. And in the stadium, behind the gates, the nets, which normally also supposed to intercept throwing floors from the stands, were simply taken away.
German fans set the tone in Basel
Horvath’s conclusion is then very positive. When it comes to acceptance, demand, enthusiasm and attention, the expectations were even exceeded. This was sure to have the good performance of the Swiss, who achieved an EM quarter-finals for the first time, and the often very good weather.
Last but not least, German fans also have their share in good success. In addition to the opening game between Switzerland and Norway (1: 2), the supporters from north of the border set the tone. Both in the group game of the DFB women against Denmark (2-1) and at the quarter-finals against France (7: 6 ne), the Germans celebrated a football festival in Basel.
Germany fans cheer the DFB women after the victory against France in St. Jakob-Park in Basel.
What will become of the football camps?
All that remains is how the green traffic lights go on. The sharpblones can be seen at twelve traffic lights in the city, which are particularly frequented by football fans. In addition to the two traffic lights at the stadium, there are six at the banking club in the city center and four at SBB station.
Horvath was happy about the city’s unbureaucratic and quick decision. The stencils were only installed one or two days before the opening game – deliberately only on pedestrian lights so as not to trigger any danger from irritation. “Often people stay at the traffic lights for too long because they look and take photos. Then they have to wait for the next green phase,” says Horvath and laughs.
It was planned that the football lamps will be back to normal traffic lights shortly after the European Championship. On Friday morning, however, the city of Basel confirmed to the sports show that the green kickers at the stadium will (at least) remain in their place until the end of the year. The rest will have to give way in the coming week.
Kulig: “Can still exploit a lot of potential”
Kim Kulig hopes for a signal effect for women’s football in Basel and all of Switzerland, which the EM has taken care of. The tournament made sure that many people also dealt with women’s football “who have not been interested in it before”. This created many conversations. “And that’s pretty cool. I am confident that we can still exploit a lot of potential.”
Trainer Kim Kulig goes into her third season with the FC Basel footballers.
In Basel, the European Championship began on July 2 with the opening game between Switzerland and Norway (1: 2), on Sunday it now ends with the final between England and Spain. Basel celebrates its last EM festival. But the memory of the enthusiasm of a very special summer month should remain. Also through the green traffic lights.