Newcastle United finished 12th in the UEFA Champions League league phase and will therefore make the trip to Baku to face Qarabag in the first leg of the knockout playoffs on February 18.
The Magpies are aiming to reach the last 16 of the competition for the first time in their history and will look to seize control of the tie against their Azerbaijan hosts.
Eddie Howe’s men have travelled reasonably well in the campaign, suffering just one defeat in four league-phase away outings, including earning a share of the spoils at current holders Paris Saint-Germain.
The journey to Baku will be a lengthy one for the Magpies’ fans — roughly 2,549 miles — and an adventurous trip at that, as it marks the club’s first ever visit to the ground, having never previously faced Qarabag in any competition.
How many Newcastle fans are going to Baku?
The match between Qarabag and Newcastle will take place at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium, which has a capacity of 31,200. This means there will be a maximum of 1,998 tickets available for the Magpies, and at the time of writing, supporters can still purchase seats.
It is not yet clear whether Newcastle will sell out their allocation, with the application process having begun on Tuesday, 3 February at 14:00 UK time. Given that the logistics of travelling to Baku from the United Kingdom are far from straightforward, we estimate that there will be around 1,000 Newcastle fans in attendance on matchday.
Where will Newcastle fans sit at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium?
Travelling Newcastle supporters are expected to be placed in the south-east corner of the stadium, specifically in blocks 26–28. The ground is a single-tier bowl, so fans are unlikely to be positioned too high in the away end. However, a running track surrounds the pitch, which can be detrimental to both the atmosphere and sightlines.
Full fans' matchday guide for Newcastle away
Where to eat & drink for Newcastle fans in Baku
For travelling Magpies, the following venues are recommended for a pre-match pint:
- Hops Pub: 1005, Tarlan Aliyarbeyov street 24B, 24 Tarlan Aliyarbeyov St, Baku, Azerbaijan
- Beer Station: 153 Lev Tolstoy, Baku 1005, Azerbaijan
- Finngegan's: 8 Abdulkarim Ali-Zadeh St, Baku, Azerbaijan
How to get to the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium: Guide for Newcastle fans in Baku
The Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium is located around 2.5km north of Baku's Central Railway Station, which equates to around a 35-40 minute walk. For those who don't want to or can't walk to the stadium, you should take advantage of the city's metro system.
The closest metro station to the stadium is Ganjlik, which is a two-minute walk from the stadium. It is accessible on the red and green metro lines in the city, which both operate through the centre of Baku.