On Thursday, 30 January, Manchester United will travel to Romania to take on FCSB in the Europa League.
Ruben Amorim’s side currently sit fourth in the league-phase table, knowing that a win will secure their place in the top eight – avoiding the play-off round involving teams that finish between ninth and 24th. Their opponents sit eighth, having won four of their seven matches.
For the travelling United fans, this will be the second time they have seen their team play at The National Arena. The first time United played at this ground was in 2004 against Dinamo Bucuresti in the opening leg of their third qualifying round for the 2004/05 Champions League.
For all the key information relating to the FCSB away section and what to expect from Bucharest, our guide below has you covered.
/https%3A%2F%2Ffootballgroundguide.com%2Fapp%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F01%2Fnational-arena-gv.jpg "FCSB away section: Guide for Man United fans at The National Arena 1")
Matchday – Getting to the stadium
There are multiple ways to get to The National Arena, which is located around four kilometres to the east of the city centre. When West Ham United played against FCSB in the Europa League in November 2022, the club advised supporters to take a taxi or an Uber from the Old Town or ride the No90 bus to get to the stadium. This journey takes just under 30 minutes.
Alternatively, fans can take the metro to Piata Muncii before transferring to the tram and stopping at Arena Nationala, which can be accessed via the Red-40 line.
Who are FCSB?
FCSB sit second in the Romanian SuperLiga behind FC Universitatea Cluj, with 41 points from 23 matches.
They lost in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League – losing to Sparta Prague – but after qualifying for the Europa League via the play-off round, they have only lost once in seven games. This sole defeat was a 4-0 loss against Rangers.
The Red and Blues are unbeaten in their four home Europa League matches this season, with their latest result at The National Arena a 0-0 stalemate against Olympiacos.
Where is the FCSB away section?
The FCSB away section is located in the upper tier of the southeast section of the ground. United supporters will be in Sectors 316, 318, 320 and 322.
What is the FCSB away section like?
The National Arena is a modern stadium that is not only used by FCSB but also by the Romanian national team. It was opened in 2011 and, as a result, has a modern feel. For visiting supporters, it is worth noting that Euros will not be an accepted form of payment inside the ground. Romanian Leu (RON) is the only accepted currency. One RON currently equates to £0.17 on the exchange rate.
Best pubs in Bucharest
Typically, away fans gather in the Bucharest Old Town on matchday, around three-and-a-half miles from The National Arena. Here are some of the best suggestions on Thursday, including the United Supporters’ Club Romania, who have an official pub on Lispscani Street.
- Extra Time – Strada Lipscani 82, București 030167, Romania
- Caru’ cu Bere – Strada Stavropoleos 5, București 030081, Romania
- Boulevard Pub – Strada Covaci 4, București 030167, Romania
dir=”ltr”>Man United supporters that travel to Bucharest….
Our official pub is Extra-Time on Lipscani street, no. 82.
We welcome every Man United fans there. Wednesday starting 4PM there will be discounts for pints and food, but you can pop in any time.
Any questions, give us a shout
— Manchester United Supporters' Club Romania (@MUSCRoOfficial) January 27, 2025
United allocation for FCSB away
The National Arena is the biggest stadium in Romania with a capacity of 55,634. United received an allocation of 2,920 for this fixture, which is slightly more than the 2,849 tickets given to West Ham in November 2022.