Despite the negativity surrounding West Ham's 2023/24 campaign so far, and the increasing pressure on their manager David Moyes, the Hammers are actually enjoying a relatively impressive season.
Currently seventh in the Premier League after consecutive victories, the East London club will now be turning their attention to their away tie against Freiburg in the Round of 16 of the Europa League and will be confident about getting a good result.
So, here is everything travelling West Ham fans need to know about the upcoming game.
A guide to Freiburg for travelling West Ham fans
Contents
How many West Ham fans are going to Freiburg?
Interestingly, these two sides have already met twice in this year's Europa League group stage, and it was West Ham who came out on top in both the home and away fixture against the German side. However, unfortunately for the club, UEFA had banned West Ham supporters from attending the away fixture due to the fanbase launching missiles in last year's Europa Conference League final.
Their punishment has now been served, so you can expect a massive amount of supporters to be making their way to Germany this time around. Officially, the club have a ticket allocation of 2,230 – but there will almost certainly be many more than that making the trip.
Where will the West Ham fans sit in Europa-Park Stadion?
The away section in SC Freibrug's Europa-Park Stadion is situated in the North stand and is two-tiered. The lower tier encompasses blocks N5-N7 and is a standing section, while the Upper tier includes blocks N15-N17 and is all-seated – both of which are situated to the left-hand side of the goal.
As per the club's official website, if ticket demand is low from the away team then a portion of this section may be used for extra home seating – but given that West Ham are notoriously well-supported, that is very unlikely to be the case in this fixture.
Full fans’ matchday guide for SC Freiburg vs West Ham United
Europa League week. The road to Dublin starts Thursday COYI ⚒️pic.twitter.com/WKAQH26j8D
— COYIrons (@COYIronscom) March 4, 2024
This will be the third instalment of this fixture this season, with West Ham currently winning the head-to-head two nil. Therefore, many supporters would have likely been eager for a more interesting Round of 16 tie, especially with the likes of AC Milan available for the Hammers to draw. Despite that, this fixture represents a very good chance for David Moyes' side to progress to the next round of the Europa League.
Where to eat & drink for West Ham fans in Freiburg
If you are planning on eating food at the Europa-Park Stadion, then rest assured that you will be spoilt with a wide array of food stands and kiosks that serve a variety of food – and most of them open approximately 2 hours before kick-off.
However, eating elsewhere prior to the match is also just as easy, with several restaurants and bars all located in close proximity to the stadium, where you will be able to try some traditional German cuisine if you so wish.
Eating after the match, on the other hand, is virtually impossible because by the time you make it back into the city centre, it will be close to midnight and the vast majority of bars and restaurants will already be closed.
Ticket collection info for West Ham fans in Freiburg
As per the club's official website, tickets for this match will be delivered in digital format, as is the case with many teams now in the new digital, paperless era.
However, there are strict rules for every match-going fan, with all those who have purchased tickets required to also fill out detailed travel forms before any tickets are released.
How to get to Europa-Stadion Park: A guide for West Ham fans in Freiburg
One of the best things about football in Germany is that if you possess a matchday ticket, then you are entitled to free travel – a perk that we could only dream of in the UK.
Either the train or the bus are most likely to be your best, with the stadium excellently connected to several new stations that have been constructed for the stadium itself. Germany's public transport is efficient and reliable – making it the perfect method of matchday travel.