FA and Met Police are concerned the Europa Conference League final could pose a risk to public order if West Ham qualify amid fears thousands of ticketless fans could descend on Prague, with finalists only guaranteed 4,000 seats
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The FA and Metropolitan Police are concerned the Europa Conference League final could pose a risk to public order if West Ham qualify for the 20,800 capacity Eden Arena amid fears that thousands supporters come to Prague without tickets.
Around 10,000 ticketless West Ham fans attended last season’s Europa League semi-final defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt, sparking scenes of violence across the city with traveling supporters being attacked by Eintracht Ultras.
UEFA insist they cannot change the venue at this stage as the game was given to Prague last year after a 12-month bidding process, but would be willing to give more tickets to West Ham fans if they qualify.
David Moyes’ side will meet AZ Alkmaar in the first leg of the semi-finals on Thursday in high spirits after effectively securing Premier League status with yesterday’s 1-0 win over Manchester United, while Fiorentina meet Basel in the other final four meeting.
The finalists have only been given 4,000 tickets initially, with 8,500 reserved for the public and 4,300 reserved for sponsors and national associations, but a few thousand of the general sale tickets could be handed over to both clubs if West Ham make it.
The FA and the Met Police are concerned about a risk to public order if West Ham qualify for the Europa Conference League final at Prague’s Eden Arena.
The Hammers could move on to the showpiece if they beat AZ Alkmaar in the semi-final on Thursday
David Moyes’ side reached the semi-finals of last season’s Europa League and around 10,000 fans traveled to Frankfurt without tickets for the match
West Ham have not reached a major European final since the 1976 European Cup Winners Cup, so their fans are expected to travel in droves, especially given the ready availability of cheap flights to Prague and the city’s popularity among tourists and stag groups.
The FA is aware of the situation and will be seeking a guarantee from UEFA that the event can be held safely if the Hammers qualify, especially given the crowd chaos that followed Liverpool’s defeat in the Champions’ final last season. League against Real Madrid in Paris marred. was “the primary responsibility” for UEFA.
It’s because the finalists are only allocated 4,000 seats in the 20,800-capacity stadium
Benrahma’s goal (left) helped West Ham beat Manchester United 1-0 on Sunday
They defeated Gent 5–2 on aggregate at the quarter-finals to secure a place in the semi-finals
The Met would be responsible for maintaining order among the traveling fans rather than the Football Policing Unit, who are in charge of England’s away games, as West Ham are a London club.
To make matters even more complicated, there are less than three weeks between the second legs of the semi-final and the final, so preparation time is limited.
Recognizing their mistake in bringing the Europa Conference League final to such a small stadium, UEFA has increased the minimum capacity for clubs wishing to host next year’s final to 30,000.
The Conference League was designed as a new competition, primarily for clubs from smaller European countries, but those from the bigger leagues are already dominating the latter stages, with Jose Mourinho’s Roma winning the inaugural match at Arena Kombetare in last year. Tirana, Albania.
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