Foreign Office warns football fans to beware the strength of German beers at the Euros
While England and Scotland football fans may well be experienced in drinking pints, the Foreign Office has urged them to be aware of their limits in Germany as ‘beer can be stronger than in the UK’.
Euro 2024 will kick off in Germany in June, and it’s estimated that between 55,000 and 80,000 England football fans will visit at least once during the tournament.
In the UK, the average strength of a bottle of beer is 4.4 per cent according to DrinkAware, whereas it’s 5.4 per cent in Germany. Some brands of beer can have as much as 16 per cent alcohol, which is the same potency as a bottle of wine. Drinking a beer of that strength in pint glass quantity could make football fans inebriated very quickly.
As England take on Serbia on June 16 in Gelsenkirchen, the FCDO website is advising fans to drink responsibly and be mindful of local laws, as excessive drinking could lead to being barred from entering the stadium.
The warning reads: “Beer can be stronger than in the UK, so drink responsibly, know your limits and respect local laws. You may not be let into the stadium if you drink too much.”
It also advises fans: “Only buy match tickets from official providers. Tickets will be electronic and you will need your mobile phone to validate them at entry. Make sure your phone is charged and take into account roaming charges in Germany – check with your phone provider before you travel. Match tickets bought through unofficial means may not be valid. If you sell tickets through unofficial means, you could be prosecuted.”
While alcohol was banned at stadiums in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, it’s not known whether or not England fans will be served at the Veltins Arena for the Serbia opener.
Football fans in Germany are normally permitted to consume alcohol in their seats at matches, but alcohol bans are not unprecedented for certain Bundesliga matches that are viewed as high-risk.
The beer Bitberger is one of the main sponsors of Euro 2024, with pints served at most stadiums and in designated fan zones.
Read more: The ultimate Germany travel guide