UEFA: The return of standing room in Europe

In the European Cup, standing room is allowed again for the first time in almost 25 years – on a trial basis. German clubs in particular will benefit from the decision.

Standing room has been banned in UEFA club competitions since 1998. In the 2022/23 season, standing room may be offered again for the first time. The fan alliance Football Supporters Europe (FSE) spoke of a “historic victory for the European fan movement” when announcing the decision. Initially, however, the regulation only applies on a trial basis and only in certain countries – the most important questions and answers.

Where is standing room allowed?

Initially, for one season, the stadiums of the European Cup participants from England, Germany and France should be allowed to offer standing places in the Champions League, the Europa League and the Europa Conference League. Clubs from Spain and Italy would also have been allowed, but none of the European Cup participants from these countries currently have standing room.

All German clubs take part in the project. The so-called “safe standing” was introduced in England last season. In France, standing room has been allowed again since 2018, where it was banned by law in the 1990s. However, several clubs from England and France are not involved in the project at all, for example Olympique Marseille, AS Monaco, Arsenal FC or Liverpool FC.

The regulation does not apply to the three finals in Istanbul (Champions League), Budapest (Europa League) and Prague (Conference League).

What exactly does “on trial” mean?

The measure is a “monitoring program” by UEFA. If successful, the standing room permit could be extended and extended to other countries.

The clubs know: Now there must be no arguments for UEFA to ban standing room again. “I ask all fans to use this opportunity responsibly next season”said BVB managing director Hans-Joachim Watzke in a club announcement.

UEFA expressed reservations. Probably also in order not to raise too many expectations. At the end of the 2022/23 season, “the UEFA administration will take stock on the basis of the reports submitted by the commissioned experts”. The UEFA Executive Committee would then have to decide whether to continue and expand the program, it said in a statement.

“Standing places are safe”says Martin Endemann from the fan alliance “Football Supporters Europe” in an interview with the sports show. “In league operations, the clubs offer standing room without any problems. Our hope is that UEFA will draw a positive conclusion after the season and that the regulation will apply to all countries.”

Do visiting fans also get standing room?

14 clubs from Germany, England and France will offer standing room in the group stages of the three competitions. Standing will generally be allowed for away fans. Bayern Munich is the only one of the 14 clubs involved to not offer standing room for guests, as it does in the Bundesliga.

Why did this take almost 25 years?

In the wake of the Heysel catastrophe in Belgium in 1985, which killed 39 people, and Hillsborough in 1989, which killed 97 people, standing room was considered one of the causes in politics, although later the structural conditions of the stadiums, the organization or the failure of the police and security forces were identified as reasons. In England, standing room disappeared from stadiums after the so-called ‘Taylor Report’ in the British Parliament. This report by a Member of Parliament included the complete removal of all standing areas as the main demand for Hillsborough.

UEFA adopted this principle in 1998. Especially under the presidency of Michel Platini from 2007 to 2015, there was little willingness to talk about the topic in UEFA. Platini was a Juventus player at Heysel in 1985. “There have been personal discussions with Platini over the years”says Endeman. “But he said that he had to watch people die. And he always associated that with standing room. It was difficult to argue against that.”

In Germany, too, the general introduction of seats was considered in the 1990s. “When it became apparent that there would only be seats in England and other countries, organizations such as the Alliance of Active Football Fans protested against such measures in Germany.” says Endeman. Even in the course of the construction and renovation of many stadiums for the 2006 World Cup, standing room was retained. Almost all stadiums in German professional football currently have standing room.

How important is standing room for fan culture?

Borussia Dortmund initiated the application to UEFA, and Eintracht Frankfurt also worked in the background. Jan-Hendrik Gruszecki, who heads the strategy and culture department at BVB, said in the BVB fan podcast “Vonne Süd”: “Standing places are a core element for fan culture, for atmospheric stadiums, they are irreplaceable for group formation and social contacts.” Endemann names the standing room “a meeting place”. “Because you can move differently there. At half-time you can meet friends without having to climb over rows of seats.”. Standing room is above all important for the mood, which can be observed in England in particular.

The price is also important: Standing places usually cost less and enable financially weaker people and young people to visit the stadium. “Now people can access European games who may not have been able to afford it before”, says Endeman. A current example from Leverkusen illustrates this: While fans of Atletico Madrid can stand in Leverkusen for 15 euros, Leverkusen fans have to pay almost 60 euros for seat tickets at FC Brugge.

Is everything then like in the Bundesliga?

Basically yes: according to UEFA, standing room should be allowed “in accordance with national and local laws” to be possible. After almost 25 years, this resolves the contradiction in Germany that something is said to be uncertain in European games, which is practiced week after week without any problems in the Bundesliga. The south stand of Borussia Dortmund, for example, will be filled with around 25,000 standing fans in both the Champions League and the Bundesliga.

In 2018, UEFA took a similar approach to alcohol. At that time, the general ban was lifted and since then what has been permitted by law and by local authorities in the respective country.

What are the financial consequences of the return of standing room for clubs?

One cost factor for the clubs is disappearing for the time being: in the past, most Bundesliga clubs converted their standing room grandstands for the games in Europe at short notice with seat modules, some used so-called “vario seats”, which can be used as standing or seated places in a folding system, depending on requirements. Even if standing room is cheaper, more tickets can be sold. More people in the stadium also mean more consumption in the catering trade or in the fan shops. BVB Managing Director Watzke spoke of additional income of between 1.5 and 2 million euros.

Union Berlin will not move to the Olympic Stadium in the Europa League due to the UEFA measure. The ratio of standing to seating is unusual at the Alte Försterei: there are more than 18,000 standing places at the Alte Försterei, but less than 4,000 seats. Union also had to meet other requirements, such as setting up warm-up zones along the main stand. “We definitely want to take advantage of the historic opportunity to experience European Cup evenings at the Alte Försterei”, said Union President Dirk Zingler, according to a club announcement. The club have since confirmed that UEFA will allow the stadium.