The football association will speak to UEFA after transport chaos marred England’s European Championship opener.
Thousands had to wait for trains until the early hours, while others had to abandon public transport and walk six kilometers on foot from the fan park to the ground, amid dire scenes in Gelsenkirchen.
Before the match, representatives of the football supporters’ association had to intervene and plead with organizers to send shuttle buses to the fan park, which was located on a racecourse on the outskirts of the city. With queues that could last up to an hour and a half, many who thought they wouldn’t be in time for kick-off ditched the wait and set out on foot.
It was a similar picture after the match, with an inadequate system clearly overwhelmed. More than three hours after the nail-biting 1-0 win over Serbia, Gelsenkirchen’s main station was described as a “madhouse” as fans spoke of waiting two hours in pouring rain to catch the tram into the city from the stadium.
With 50,000 attendees, a two-carriage tram arriving every fifteen minutes was simply inadequate. No information was provided to those waiting, who were praised for their patience and restraint.
The Football Association will talk to UEFA about the transport chaos that marred England’s opener against Serbia
Thousands waited for the tram in Gelsenkirchen until the early morning hours
Many English fans had travel problems getting to the ground after a tram broke down
If England win the group, their path will take them back via Gelsenkirchen and FA officials are aware of the problems. Although their options are limited, they are expected to report details of the problems to UEFA.
Similar experiences have already been reported during a tournament that is only three days old.
An FA spokeswoman said: ‘We are aware of the issues our fans experienced in Gelsenkirchen last night and will ensure their feedback is passed on to the organisers. The FSA and the police will also do this.’